The exit of the State from the Mercier cycles relocation project, which was to create 270 jobs in Révin (Ardennes), worries the inhabitants.
A hundred people, mostly local elected officials, gathered on Tuesday in front of the industrial wasteland that is to host the project, to demand explanations on the withdrawal of the state, announced on Friday.
The latter had promised 5 million euros in funding, which will remain
"directed towards the territory"
, promised the government.
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"The state services have identified facts serious enough to consider that it is not possible to commit public money"
, justified Friday the prefect of the Ardennes, Jean-Sébastien Lamontagne.
"The project leader has been or has been the subject of several customs and tax investigations, in France and at European level, some of which have already given rise to notifications of several million euros on a personal basis and for his companies
," detailed Tuesday Bercy.
These investigations relate in particular to the diversion of anti-dumping duty on bicycles by concealing the origin of imported bicycles.
The proceeds of these frauds would have been laundered by networks of offshore companies belonging to the project promoter.
Several procedures have also been launched on the tax side, as well as more recently a report to the prosecutor under article 40. "
A small chance?
In addition, the Luxembourg holding Starship Investments
"of the project leader would be the shareholder of the French operating company and would invest the funds resulting from fraud and money laundering"
. In mid-March, the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Jacqueline Gourault, welcomed the project, seeing it as
"the return of industrial development"
.
"Without the support of the State, it's dead"
, worries Bernard Dekens, president of Ardennes Rives de Meuse.
"I want to believe that there is still a small chance,"
pleaded Boris Ravignon, vice-president of the Grand Est regional council, in charge of economic development.
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