His Excellency Mr Jean-Paul Proust, the Minister of State of the Principality from 1st June 2005 to 26th March 2010, died in the night of 7th to 8th April 2010 following a long illness. The announcement of his death has created great sorrow among the Government of Monaco, the Civil Service, the Monegasque population and residents. For almost five years at the head of the Government of Monaco, he was in charge of the actions undertaken by the Principality, under the authority of H.S.H. Prince Albert II.