No panic yet, but growing concern.
The Anticor association, which for nearly ten years has fought against corruption and has multiplied complaints and appeals in financial cases, is worried about the renewal of its ministerial approval.
An essential authorization without which the association could no longer intervene in the hundreds of procedures in which it is involved and especially without which it could no longer initiate others.
The file is in the hands of Prime Minister Jean Castex, who must give his opinion before February 2.
Such approvals are to be renewed every three years.
After a first request got lost in the corridors of the Justice Department this summer, a new one is sent out at the end of September and duly registered on October 2.
The administration has four months to respond, failing which the request is considered rejected - an appeal to the administrative court is possible.
It is this period that ends on February 2, knowing that the approval expires on February 15.
Ferrand, Kohler, Dupond-Moretti affairs ...
“The ministry asked us for the names of donors who pay more than 10,000 euros, under the association's independence criterion,” explains Elise Van Beneden, President of Anticor.
They are only two and represent only 6% of our budget of 280,000 euros.
We do not receive any public subsidy, nor any corporate donation: we are only funded by contributions from our 5,000 members or donations.
The association has sent a certified accountant certificate certifying that one of these generous donors, who refuses to have his identity communicated, is a natural person domiciled in France.
On the Anticor side, they invoke a procedure that is too careful.
"We have the impression that we are disturbing," sighs Elise Van Beneden, recalling that the vice-president of the association, magistrate Eric Alt, was the subject of an administrative investigation, finally closed.
Anticor is notably behind the relaunch of the Richard Ferrand affair, which led the President of the National Assembly to be indicted for illegal taking of interests in September 2019. Thanks to its complaint with constitution of party civil, Anticor also obtained the reopening of the investigation on the secretary general of the Elysee, Alexis Kohler.
However, not all files are so high profile.
Even if the application for renewal of accreditation is processed by the services of the Ministry of Justice, it is Matignon that the decision will be made.
In order to avoid any conflict of interest, the files in which the name of the Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti is cited have been transferred to the Prime Minister.
Anticor is one of the associations which have lodged a complaint against the new Minister of Justice for illegally taking an interest in acts relating to his former duties as a lawyer - an investigation has just been opened by the Court of Justice of the Republic.
The deadlines "are absolutely not unusual"
"Currently, the investigation is underway and we are awaiting the last elements to submit the decision to the Prime Minister," explains Matignon.
Without prejudging the substance, the deadlines will be respected.
According to another government source, Anticor would not suffer any derogatory measure.
“The last time, the renewal request was filed in October 2017 for an authorization issued on the following February 15, ten days before expiration.
The processing times are absolutely not unusual, ”annoys this source.
At this stage, Anticor is showing its serenity.
“We are right in our boots, because we are proud of our record and we know that we are entitled to this approval, supports Elise Van Beneden, also a lawyer at the Paris bar.
But, fundamentally, there is a paradox in asking the government for authorization to continue to monitor it and to file complaints against its members.
One could think of a process that goes through the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP) or the Defender of Rights.
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