Yesterday, the Departmental Council of the Alpes-Maritimes met in an extraordinary departmental assembly and voted for a loan of 200 million euros as part of the valley reconstruction efforts. This is an exceptional sum but will only cover a small portion of the overall reconstruction work.
“For the Alpes-Maritimes Department alone, the bill promises to be colossal,” warned Charles Ange Ginésy in the extraordinary departmental assembly. And that’s the least that can be said when considering the initial estimates, which currently indicate a total bill of 1.5 billion euros! A figure that will probably be revised upwards in the coming weeks given the extent of the damage. This estimate is based on initial assessments by the department’s services and the Metropolis.
For the Departmental Council, 840 million euros will need to be paid, including:
- 500 million solely for the reconstruction of roads and structures like bridges
- 250 million for flood protection and risk management systems
- 60 million for departmental buildings (the gendarmerie of Saint-Martin-Vésubie and the Vésubie-Valdeblore mixed syndicate’s infrastructures)
- and 10 million for the reconstruction of optical fiber
In addition, the necessary funding for the Metropolis is estimated at 600 million euros.
To support the reconstruction actors, the State already had the Council of Ministers vote on Wednesday for the recognition of a “state of natural disaster” for 55 municipalities. At the same time, it also announced the creation of an “Emergency Fund 06” amounting to 100 million euros. Finally, the major natural risk prevention fund known as the “Barnier fund” of 50 million euros will allow for an 80% coverage of the cost of rebuilding houses.
The department votes for a 200 million loan
The vote was unanimous. The loan decided by the President of the department will be divided into two parts. On November 6, during the next session of the Departmental Council, 70 million in new loans will be proposed initially. The second part (130 million) will be added during the drafting of the 2021 Initial Budget.
“200 million euros! It’s a figure that makes me dizzy. And yet, they are truly necessary, despite the budgetary difficulties we are already facing due to the COVID crisis,” lamented Charles Ange Ginésy.
Meanwhile, the call for national solidarity launched by the department last Saturday has been particularly well received. During his visit yesterday to Roquebillière, Prince Albert II of Monaco expressed his intention to donate 4 million euros in solidarity. The departments have also shown significant generosity. The presidents of Essonne and Maine-et-Loire have already mobilized funds, as have some municipalities like Cannes, whose mayor, David Lisnard, passed a resolution to support solidarity exceeding 50,000€.
A solidarity that will need to be pieced together to restore these valleys to their former glory.
