Great anger among the supporters of the LGV PACA line. The report from the Mobility Commission 21 has made a decision, transportation policy should focus on local transport rather than high-speed trains. Another blow is the preference for the Marseille rail hub at the expense of the Nice one.
Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, Eric Ciotti, President of the General Council, and Bernard Kleynhoff, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, did not hide their anger in the MIN room where they had convened the press.
The Mayor of Nice was particularly upset: “On April 25th when the Mobility Commission 21 came to study our project, everyone was in favor of this railway line passing through Nice. And today, we are being asked to pay 2.5 million euros for the project that goes through Marseille with the Saint Charles station. It’s unacceptable!”
Eric Ciotti is more incisive and directly attacks the current government: “It is a feeling of profound injustice. We have a sectarian power, but we are used to it. This is an error that goes beyond the interests of the PACA region. This commission is a front for the government. We are victims of a confidence trick with a disconcerting boldness. Today, I am crying out in anger against this government of demolitionists without ambition, addicted to public spending. The only thing we will remember from François Hollande’s France is the opening of shooting rooms.”
The three men, very angry, are demanding refunds for the sums invested in the various study projects: “There is no question of paying. We will not let this happen, and we have initiated procedures for a refund of the expenses. The General Council of the Alpes-Maritimes invested 4.778 million euros in projects, and we are asking the state for a refund of these studies,” adds Eric Ciotti.
Bernard Kleynhoff sees the loss for the territory’s economy: “We don’t want comfort, but survival for our businesses. We had placed a lot of hope in transport. In the end, there are many falsehoods and deliberate omissions. We are disheartened.”
Finally, Christian Estrosi concludes by pointing out the flaws in the currently chosen project: “It’s sectarianism at every level. The current project is anti-ecological and anti-sustainable development. Everyone wanted this link between Spain and Italy, but left-wing politics have clearly prevented this.”
