Unanimity. When Jérôme Dumont, the president of the departmental council, asked who approved the motion he had just presented, all hands were raised. At length, to clearly show the determination of elected officials in the face of the management of Crédit agricole de Lorraine and its plan to eliminate the Roises site, in Bar-le-Duc. The subject continues to provoke reactions from all sides.
An unthinkable closure for the departmental assembly, which in its text speaks of a “brutal decision”, “incomprehensible”, “taken without consultation”. She believes that it goes against the mutualist values of the bank. And even its commitments, therefore that of “contributing to revitalizing the most fragile territories and reducing social inequalities in economic matters”. This decision is all the less accepted in view of the nearly €70 million in results achieved in Meuse, “historic results”. The community hopes that the board of directors, which has yet to approve it, will be able to say no.
Reimbursement of shares requested
“The mutualist spirit no longer corresponds at all to the message that regional management is sending today,” observes Pierre Burgain (Revigny-sur-Ornain). It is a strong sign that for a certain number of leaders, whether regional or national, it is the death of small rural areas and in particular of the Meuse. »
For Sylvain Denoyelle (Saint-Mihiel), “we are squarely in a denial, a complete gap between what is said and a position taken. »
Former president of the local Spincourt bank, Benoît Watrin (Bouligny) does not hide his “annoyance” at this situation. He recognizes that “it’s difficult to be heard” by management. He believes that Crédit Agricole “which has its full role to play in regional development… does not have to disengage in this way”. He announced that he had made the choice “to request reimbursement of my shares, I asked my local fund, by email, to do the same”.
He says he is angry with his fellow members from Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle because, while he has no doubt that the local Meuse banks want to preserve a headquarters in Meuse, he is not sure that in the neighboring departments, this is the case: “ Maybe they think the Meuse is the asshole of the world. I am proud to live in this territory. »
“The arguments are unworthy to justify this betrayal”
Martine Joly is no less upset. “Crédit agricole flouts the DNA of its structure by abandoning the Meuse,” considers the Barisian elected official. She says: “ [Son] director thinks we’re not worth it,” in light of the exchanges she had with last Saturday.
She “mentions the shameful arguments given to justify this betrayal”: loss of inhabitants, recruitment difficulties, role that artificial intelligence will play. “It is absolutely scandalous on the part of a mutual bank which just wants to restore its image when it says it is attentive to revitalizing the territories. »
“It will cause a stir among elected officials”
It confronts administrators with their responsibilities: “They must realize the importance of their vote. » Visibly moved, the mayor of Bar-le-Duc confirmed that “we will continue to fight, to be proud, to defend our territories. I was elected for this, to demonstrate that the Meuse has a future. This department does not intend to let itself be buried by those who should, on the contrary, participate in its momentum. »
Various interventions appreciated by Jérôme Dumont, who says he is convinced that “it will cause a start among elected officials, among Meuse residents… They did not expect this reaction, the decision cannot be this closure”.
