They have pawned an item worth 50 euros maximum, often a small gold jewel that they hold dear, to make ends meet. For Christmas, as a sign of solidarity, Crédit municipal d'Avignon allows them to collect it for free.
“We have a sharp increase in pawnbroking. We wanted to make an effort for the most vulnerable people by allowing them to recover free of charge, without interest or reimbursement, the object they deposited up to a maximum value of 50 euros,” Jean explained to AFP. -Dominique Faedda, director of the establishment, confirming information relayed by the daily newspaper The Marseillaise.
Generally, he points out, these objects are small gold jewelry with a strong emotional value for those who pawn them in exchange for cash.
Some 77 people are affected by this measure in Avignon, Carpentras (Vaucluse), Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône) and Valence (Drôme), the towns where Crédit municipal d'Avignon is present, said Mr. Faedda. They will be able to collect their item until December 31.
An operation which will have cost 6000 euros
This public establishment which depends on the city of Avignon, headed by the socialist Cécile Helle, has set the overall financial effort that it can commit to this operation at 6,000 euros, including the various related costs.
Established 400 years ago during the reign of Louis XIII to combat usury, Municipal Credits are the only ones that can legally lend money in cash, in exchange for a valuable asset, recoverable at at any time, upon reimbursement with interest and possible costs.
The establishment of Avignon is the oldest in current French territory, founded in 1610 under the name pawnshop, when Avignon was part of an independent state under the authority of the popes.
Its outstanding loan is currently 14 million euros, according to its director.
Unrecovered goods are sold after a maximum of two years at legal auctions, but this only concerns 5% of the objects deposited, underlines Mr. Faedda, with most people recovering what they pawned before.
In France, more than five million people live below the poverty line, the Observatory of Inequalities recalled at the beginning of December. This is 1.4 million more than 20 years ago.
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