The referendum committee announced to Léman Bleu that it was going to take legal action. The political class is divided on the subject.
On Thursday, our editorial team announced that the MCG was seeking an appeal against the installation of explanatory panels installed by the City on the Mont-Blanc footbridge project. As a reminder, these six displays present their project and cite its “strong points” in particular, while the population will vote on it on November 24.
This Friday, the referendum committee is also taking action and announcing that it will take legal action. He criticizes the city for not displaying critical arguments, such as the impact of this footbridge on the future renovation of the Mont-Blanc bridge. The use of public funds also calls into question. “The City is supposed, if it provides information, to take into account all points of view,” attacks former municipal councilor Tobia Schnebli. This is clearly to try to get favorable votes. It’s an abuse of the skills of the City and of Ms. Perler in this case.”
Among politicians, “clumsiness” for some, “information” for others
A message heard by the PLR, although favorable to the bridge. The party sees a certain awkwardness in these signs. “I think it would have been welcome if there was a sign that explains why some people are opposed to it,” says municipal councilor Maxime Provinni. The SVP, which also supports the project, recognizes that the display comes at a bad time. City councilor and MP Christo Ivanov, however, has no doubts about the legality of the signs. “This appeal is completely unnecessary. I have no doubt that the courts will reject it out of hand.”
Among the Greens, the vice-president of the City of Geneva section Cyril Alispach does not want to comment on the legal outcome of the case. However, for him, it is about information for the population. “It’s City material, for a project that it accepted. This reflects this position, with the project presented in an objective manner. It seems completely normal to us that we inform the population and it is a duty of the department and the city to inform about current projects.
At the PS, we judge the MCG’s appeal as opportunistic: “Some parties file appeals, others carry out projects” tackles municipal councilor and candidate for Mayor Joëlle Bertossa. She ardently defends these signs: “The City has been widely criticized for not informing the population enough about major projects. I think it is necessary to present the content of the project as best as possible and exhaustively.” Less than two months before the vote, the campaign seems to be launched. The referendum committee hopes that its appeal will result in the installation of panels with its own arguments.
