The simplifions.be platform was launched by the new Walloon coalition to collect as many user opinions as possible on administrative simplification. “This is the first campaign of its kind“, welcomed the Walloon government in October. And it was supported by the two parties of the Azur coalition. The address of the manager is also that of the MR headquarters in Brussels.
gullCitizens have been providing information for months, thinking that they were on an official website of Wallonia, when by clicking on this link, they find themselves on a party website.
The problem, pointed out the socialist opposition in committee of the Walloon Parliament on Monday, is that the official website of the Walloon Region refers to this political platform, “while public administration must remain a neutral and independent tool“.
“Citizens have been giving information for months, thinking that they were on an official website of Wallonia, whereas by clicking on this link, they find themselves on the website of a party”denounces the PS since Monday. “It is a partisan tool camouflaged as an official instrument. If we applied this logic, it would amount to the official website of Wallonia linking to the work of the Emile Vandervelde Institute, which would be just as unacceptable.” underlined PS deputy Thierry Witsel.
It was following this arrest that the platform in question was closed on Tuesday.
Questioned Wednesday in plenary session by PS group leader Christie Morreale, Minister-President Adrien Dolimont (MR) explained how this inappropriate link between the official website of Wallonia and this partisan platform could have existed for several months.
The administration was not suspicious
In summary, the government saw nothing until MP Thierry Witsel spoke about it on Monday in the committee of the Walloon Parliament. “This is an unfortunate initiative by the administration.“, says Adrien Dolimont.
On October 3, the government is organizing a press conference on the “Pact for a shock of administrative simplification”, its ambitions and its projects. The ministers mentioned the success of the site simplifions.be which, at that time, had already collected more than 5,000 proposals from citizens. This is also what appears in the press release which will follow the press briefing.
“The administration is often present at these press conferences. She wants to inform the population as quickly and accurately as possible. She took the initiative to write a news note. To do this, the administration took over the press release by anonymizing the ministerial speeches. The name of the address (Editor’s note: from the site) was simple. It did not arouse distrust in their leader. When we noticed it like you, we immediately decided to remove this element. No instructions had been given to the administration to register and use this site“, further specifies the Walloon Minister-President.
In short, it started with a good intention. And the administration was not suspicious. The site is closed. The link is deleted. Point.
Control Commission
Christie Morreale insists. What happens to the personal data left by citizens? “Is their anonymity guaranteed? We will not pass them on to third parties? Do ministerial offices have authorization to process this type of data? And how can we explain that, during a press conference that the government is officially organizing at the Public Service of Wallonia, you are promoting a political site that your party launched and financed? I think this poses a problem of political responsibility, GDPR, etc.“
As for Ecolo group leader Stéphane Hazée, he recalls that there is a Walloon government communications control commission. “We believe it will be necessary to convene this commission.“
