Commission to reform justice system named

PRESIDENT Jacques Chirac announced last night the creation of a commission to reform the French justice system.

The commission "will examine whether the independence of the judiciary authority could he increased by eliminating the hierarchical link between the courts and the justice ministry," Mr Chirac said in a speech broadcast live on France's three main television networks. At present, public prosecutors are named by the justice minister. "We could change or even do away with this link," Mr Chirac said.

The other goal of the commission, which must present its findings by July 15th, is "to examine how the presumption of innocence, constitutional since 1789, can he better respected." Mr Chirac said the French justice system "does not fulfil the expectations of the French people ... many of you find it too slow, too expensive, difficult to understand."

The French president did not mention the financial scandals that have plagued his administration. The reform is widely viewed as an attempt to change the public perception that politicians in France receive special treatment in the courts. Nearly 500 French politicians have been indicted in corruption scandals.

The commission will be led by Mr Pierre Truche, the president of the Cour de Cassation, France's Supreme Court. It will include judges, philosophers, academics, historians, economists and two journalists.

. The siege of the headquarters of the Credit Foncier de France (CFF) continued into its fourth day yesterday with no end in sight. Mr Jerome Meyssonier, the governor of the CFF, is being held against his will by hundreds of CFF employees who oppose a government engineered takeover of the bank that would mean the loss of 1,800 jobs.