This is a very rare decision: the Defender of Rights Claire Hédon made public on Monday the case of an octogenarian who lost nearly 90,000 euros in Treasury bills, the State refusing to reimburse her, arguing a prescription of these vouchers of which their owner has never been informed.
Asked by AFP, the Ministry of the Economy did not wish on Monday to speak on "
a particular case
" in progress, taking refuge behind "
professional and fiscal secrecy
".
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The affair, revealed by
Le Parisien
, began in 1996, when Francine Chaffard and her husband, who has since died, bought 72 Treasury bills for an amount of 89,944.92 euros, and valid at the time for 30 years.
In 2008, however, a change in the law modifies their validity: they will now be prescribed, or expired, in 2013. Despite several trips to its local treasury, in Toulon, to cash vouchers between 2009 and 2011, no one informed Francine Chaffard of this change, she says.
So much so that in 2017, when she sought to be reimbursed for other vouchers, she was refused a refusal and then referred the matter to the Defender of Rights.
State failures pointed out
The latter repeatedly requests the Ministry of Public Accounts and that of the Economy and Finance to request the "
benevolent review of this file
" and grant "
exceptionally
" and in the name of "
equity
" reimbursement. coupons, details its special report.
But the administration and the heads of Bruno Le Maire's cabinet respond unfavorably to this request, believing that the State had no obligation to provide information concerning the new law which modified the prescription of warrants.
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In a press release, the Defender of Rights who decided, a very rare thing, to publish her special report in the Official Journal, "
deplores
" the failings of the State in this case.
In its report, it considers in particular that the treasury of Toulon committed "
mistakes
" which engage the administration.