5.4 Phase 3 "Expansion of Zumwinkel affair into tax affair" (18.2. — 29.2.2008)
5.4.1 Overview of events
On Monday, 18 February 2008, 160 e-mail messages from Germany are received at the
official e-mail address of the Liechtenstein Government; by the end of the week, there are far
more than 300. The media clippings reach entirely new heights starting 18.2.: from 18 to 22
February alone, the clipping contains 2,251 articles (previous month of January 2008 by
comparison: 580 articles).
On Tuesday, 19 February 2008, a press conference takes place with H.S.H. Hereditary Prince
Alois von und zu Liechtenstein and Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Dr. Klaus
Tschütscher on the current events in Vaduz. This is the first time Liechtenstein communicates
publically about the events surrounding the Zumwinkel affair and the data theft at LGT.
Hereditary Prince Alois and Dr. Tschütscher emphasize that they reject the German methods.
"In Liechtenstein, fiscal interests cannot trump principles of the rule of law," the Hereditary
Prince says. He thus indirectly criticizes the German tax system and compares it with the
Liechtenstein philosophy of State. In his remarks, the Justice Minister emphasizes respect for
privacy, which is expressed in concrete terms in bank client confidentiality. He also confirms
that investigations against unknown perpetrators have been initiated that day in Vaduz on
charges of spying out a business secret. Hereditary Prince Alois adds that Germany cannot
solve the problem with its taxpayers by launching an attack on Liechtenstein and a "grossly
inflated media campaign". Germany should instead invest its tax revenue in improving its tax
system rather than spending millions on data whose legal usability is in doubt.
On Wednesday, 20 February 2008, the long-planned official visit by Prime Minister Otmar
Hasler to Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel takes place in Berlin. It is the first official visit
of a Liechtenstein prime minister to the German Federal Chancellery since 1992.
On Wednesday, 20 February 2008, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Dr. Klaus
Tschütscher holds a press conference on the total revision of foundation law in Vaduz, which
is to be submitted for a first reading by the meeting of Parliament on 13 March (where it 1s
approved unanimously) The reform of foundation law is not a reaction to the German
accusation, however, as is assumed by some. The reform efforts date back to the year 1999.
On Thursday, 21 February, Parliament is opened in Vaduz, with the traditional throne speech
by the Hereditary Prince, which in light of the current events is also taken up by the
international media. Parliament meets for the first time in the new Parliament Building, which
was ceremoniously inaugurated a week before.
On Tuesday, 26 February, Chief Public Prosecutor Dr. Robert Wallner holds a press
conference in Vaduz on the "Heinrich Kieber case".
On Wednesday, 27 February, the official visit by Prince Albert of Monaco to Federal
Chancellor Angela Merkel takes place in Berlin.
On Thursday, 28 February, Prime Minister Otmar Hasler signs the Schengen association
agreement in Brussels.
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