By Mike Sidwell

The same article writes: “At stake are billions of euros in tax revenues lost to the German government. Also at stake is Germany’s relationship with countries like Liechtenstein and Switzerland, home to banks that have offered lucrative arrangements to German tax evaders.”

Liechtenstein’s Crown Prince Alois accused Germany of mounting an “attack” on the principality and condemned as “unacceptable” the German authorities decision to allow its BND intelligence agency to pay more than €4 million (US $5.9 million) for bank client data allegedly stolen by a former Leichtenstein bank employee, reports the Financial Times (FT). However, Otmar Hasler, prime minister of Liechtenstein has, “promised more co-operation with Germany and a reform of the principality’s trust and tax laws,” notes the FT in a separate article.

The Associated Press (AP) reports that: “German politicians of all parties have seized on recent allegations that rich Germans are hiding millions of euros in the tiny Alpine principality of Liechtenstein to demand a concerted action against all offshore tax havens.” A senior official close to Chancellor Angela Merkel commented on the situation: “Ultimately we want states such as Leichtenstein to provide us with information on any Germany resident holding assets on their territories,” writes the FT.

German tax officials and prosecutors conducted raids up and down the country, which have according to AP: "led to the recovery of more than €27 million and netted 163 people." On 14 February, Klaus Zumwinkel, the head of Deutsche Post and director on the boards of Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Telekom and Lufthansa “surrendered to police amid suspicion that he evaded €1 million [US $1.46 million] in taxes, according to Christian Science Monitor. Bloombergreports that: “Australia, Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, the U.K. and the U.S. all announced their own Liechtenstein probes Feb. 26.”

The secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria, has been quoted criticising Liechtenstein’s secrecy rules as a “relic of a different time,” (FT). The OECD include Liechtenstein, along with Monaco and Andorra, on the organisation’s list of “Unco-operative Tax Havens”.

The FT notes that: “Tax investigators across Europe also hope the fact that their German colleagues obtained their information from a whistleblower within LGT – and that he was handsomely rewarded for his “betrayal” – could encourage others to follow suit.”

By Nadja Kostka

Following a military coup in September 2006, Thaksin Shinawatra 's party, Thai Rak Thai, was dissolved, and he and 111 executives of Thai Rak Thai were banned from politics for five years, CNN details.

“The generals who overthrew Mr Thaksin claimed as justification for their coup that his administration had been the most corrupt in Thai history”, writes the BBC. The same article notes that the generals brought two charges against him: “that he had used his influence to help his wife buy government land at a favourable price, and that he concealed a continued personal stake in the huge family telecoms business, Shin Corporation.” According to Bloomberg , the Asset Examination Committee froze more than 60 billion baht (US $1.9 billion) of assets belonging to Thaksin and his family.

In an interview on his flight to Thailand, Thaksin told the BBC: “I’ve done nothing wrong, why worry? … I have to restore my reputation which has been tarnished by the coup.” The Economist reports that: “Mr Thaksin flew in to a rapturous reception at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport, ending his exile. After touching the tarmac with his forehead, he was taken to the Supreme Court and granted bail on corruption charges.” The Associated Press (AP) explains that Thaksin remains highly popular among the urban poor and working class and the country’s rural majority, because they “benefited from virtually free health care, a three-year debt suspension program for farmers and low-interest loans for poor villages.”

As for his future plans, “Thaksin has insisted he has no interest in returning to politics and has said he plans to devote himself to charity work, sports and his family,” writes AP. However, the Financial Times predicts that: “Whatever his formal position - or lack thereof - Mr Thaksin, who was a billionaire telecommunications tycoon before entering politics, will certainly exert strong influence on the administration as it seeks to boost an economy that has lagged behind its regional rivals for two years as a result of political turmoil and policy drift.”

According to the Bangkok Post: “The corruption case will be taken up by the court again on April 29 and 30.”

By Mike Sidwell

According to the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC), Medvedev won 70.2 percent of the vote with turnout at 69.7 percent, reports Bloomberg. The Washington Post writes that: “Medvedev was trailed by Communist candidate Gennady Zyuganov, who had 18 percent of the vote. Earlier in the counting, ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky had 10 percent and Andrei Bogdanov, an ostensible liberal, 1.5 percent….Opposition figures such as Garry Kasparvov, the chess grandmaster and Putin opponent, said they boycotted the vote, calling it a farce.”

Andreas Gross, chairman of the 22-member delegation of European MPs which observed the election, said: "We believe there was not freedom in these elections […] The results of the presidential elections … are a reflection of the will of an electorate whose democratic potential was, unfortunately, not tapped," reports the Guardian.

Andrei Buzin, an expert from the Russian independent observers Golos, also criticised the elections poll, saying that it was “marred by official pressure to boost voter turnout, ballot stuffing and multiple voting,” according to Reuters. The same article notes that the charges were immediately rejected by the CEC.

CNN reports that: “Medvedev has publicly committed to promote democracy, fight corruption, and bolster the rule of law. But as Kremlin critics point out, Putin made similar promises when he ran, only to be criticized at home and abroad for cracking down on opposition groups.”

In an article by the Associated Press Medvedev is quoted declaring, “A mature civil society is a vital necessity, a foundation, a guarantee of stable development of our nation […] And our task is to create a system when civil society groups participate in setting the government course and assessing its efficiency.” Medvedev “has declared corruption a key threat to modernization and social stability,” according to Reuters.

The Moscow Times reports that: “As president, Medvedev has said he will oversee foreign policy, while Putin, who will become prime minister, will handle economic policy and other issues.”