The first meeting between Gilles Simeoni and Catherine Vautrin ended early this Thursday afternoon in Paris. At the end of this meeting with the Minister of Partnership with the Territories and Decentralization, the president of the executive obtained a commitment concerning public control of the port and airport structures of the island. However, beyond listening to the minister, nothing has been done on the provision of territorial continuity. Concerning the autonomy of Corsica, “there is a desire to resume the process” indicates Gilles Simeoni.
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This Thursday, October 10, the meeting between Gilles Simeoni and Minister Catherine Vautrin ended around 1:20 p.m.
Organized following the strike at the Corsican Chamber of Commerce which led to the blockade of the island’s ports and airports last week, this first meeting between the President of the Executive Council of Corsica and the Minister of Partnership with the Territories and Decentralization constitutes a resumption of dialogue between the island and Paris was an opportunity to address the question of transport.
“I came to ask for commitments from the minister and the government on two fundamental issues, explains Gilles Simeoni as he leaves the ministry. The first is that of public control of ports and airports with the implementation of the Open Mixed Union, bottom-up management for the CCI before December 31, 2024. On this side, the minister was very clear: we will of course continue to work on legal security but there is no obstacle of principle on his part. She insisted on the fact that she wanted to move as quickly as possible towards a law organizing the connection of the CCI and the Chamber of Trades, as provided for by the PACTE law, with the Collectivity of Corsica. From that side, it’s very positive.”
The meeting between Gilles Simeoni (left) and Catherine Vautrin (right) took place this Thursday in Paris, at the Ministry of Territorial Partnership and Decentralization.
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© FTV/
The second “urgent and vital file”says the president of the executive, concerns the 50 million euro extension of the territorial continuity grant:
“I had the opportunity to repeat to Minister Vautrin what I have already said to several ministers, including the former Prime Minister Mr. Attal, this reindexing is essential if we want to be able to continue to execute the public service delegation contracts in the maritime and air sectors There are hundreds of direct jobs at stake in the delegated companies, thousands of indirect jobs. Minister said that she was aware of these issues. She also said, but we knew it, that the budgetary context in France is extremely difficult. We have ten days to obtain a favorable response from the government. use it with all the necessary energy while also calling for mobilization and solidarity among all elected officials.”
If the minister listened attentively to the reindexing of the territorial continuity envelope, there is, for the moment, no public commitment from the State on this specific point.
Gilles Simeoni’s interview conducted by Dominique Moret and Stéphane Poli this Thursday in Paris:
duration of video: 00h04mn24s
FTV/
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©D. Moret – S. Poli
The meeting, which lasted almost three hours, took place in two stages: after a first part devoted to finances and transport, in the presence of Fabrice Loher, Minister Delegate in charge of the Sea and Fisheries, and a representative of the Minister for Transport, more political subjects were discussed, notably those concerning constitutional reform and the autonomy process.
There, only Gilles Simeoni and Catherine Vautrin, as well as members of their respective cabinets, took part in the discussions.
The day before, the subject had been raised by the minister in the hemicycle of the National Assembly following a question from Michel Castellani, deputy for the first constituency of Haute-Corse.
Thus, it is first of all the senatorial commission which will issue an opinion on the institutional documents. However, the Senate would not be in favor of a change in the status of the island.
“Regarding the question of constitutional revision and the status of autonomy, there is a desire to resume the process, says Gilles Simeoni. It is therefore a positive response, including to the solemn inquiry of the Corsican Assembly and the Executive Council, with a timetable: there is, of course, the senatorial response that we are waiting for. […] We have to wait for what the Senate committee says; It does not bind the future but it is an important step. Likewise, there will certainly be a referral to the Law Commission. What is certain, we knew, is that there is convincing work to be done to obtain a three-fifths majority (of Parliament). We have a few months to do it. This is the work to which we will tackle with always the same faith and the same energy.”
For her part, Catherine Vautrin mentioned a “andchange studious and cordial” with the president of the Executive Council of Corsica.
“We discussed several essential subjects for the future of the island: local finances and the provision of territorial continuity, transport, particularly the management of port and airport services, and institutional subjects, said the minister. These constructive exchanges show our common commitment to finding concrete and adapted solutions for Corsica. I will soon travel to the island to continue discussions on the ground.”
Before her visit to Corsica planned “before the end of October”, the minister will meet Corsican parliamentarians on Tuesday October 15.
