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Suspicions of favoritism in Grenoble: the prosecution spares Éric Piolle

2022-09-27T12:35:29.783Z


Éric Piolle was suspected of favoritism in the awarding of a public contract during two editions of the "Fête des tiles" in Grenoble, in 2015 and 2016. No sentence was required against him.


The Valence prosecutor's office spared the EELV mayor of Grenoble Éric Piolle on Tuesday, September 27, by not seeking a sentence against him, considering that he lacked the elements to establish a crime of favoritism in the awarding of a public contract by the city.

"

He is the head of the administration, but a material element is missing, there is no certainty that he maneuvered, there is no concealment

", estimated in his indictment the prosecutor Laurent de Caigny, without however claiming release.

The 49-year-old city councilor has been appearing with six co-defendants since Monday before the Drôme criminal court - where the case was disoriented - for alleged facts of granting unjustified advantages for the benefit of the "

Fusees

" association by entrusting him with the organization of a popular festival in Grenoble in 2015 and 2016. For the former director general of municipal services François Langlois and an employee, the prosecutor did not require a sentence either, considering that they had acted "

in good faith

”.

Read alsoÉric Piolle, this ecological mayor who dreams of a national destiny

He, on the other hand, demanded fines with or without suspension for the four other defendants - two former territorial agents of Grenoble and two representatives of "

Fusees

" - for having committed or profited from a form of "

office offense

".

The fairly technical debates on Monday and Tuesday largely focused on the nature of the cultural collective's performance for the first two editions of the Fête des Tuiles, which at the time had not been the subject of an appeal. offers, exposing the participants to suspicions of favouritism.

"Respect the public procurement code"

For the commission of an artistic work, article 35 of the public procurement code provides for a derogation, but this is not the case for a contract for the organization of a cultural event.

For the Regional Chamber of Accounts (CRC) - whose report had triggered a preliminary investigation in 2018 then in 2021 the placement in police custody of Éric Piolle - the service

related "to the realization and design of the party

" and therefore could not "

justify the procedure adopted

".

A vision shared by Thierry Aldeguer, lawyer for the municipal opposition led by former mayor Alain Carignon, who filed a civil action.

In its argument, the council considered that “

Éric Piolle, in his capacity as mayor, had the duty to enforce the code of public markets

”.

Read alsoPrimary environmentalists: Éric Piolle, the candidate who relies on the merits and on a discreet mobilization of the field

"Éric Piolle is:

'

I don't see anything, I don't hear anything, I don't say anything

'", he insisted, after the city councilor had indicated that he had not been informed at the time. a difficulty in these contracts, each around 130,000 euros.

Monday, the mayor had however assured to be "

comfortable with what was done

" by his team, this one having considered that it was about the order of an artistic work.

The hearing should continue Tuesday afternoon with the arguments of the lawyers of the seven defendants.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2022-09-27

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