Relaxed at first instance, the former Minister of Labor was finally sentenced on appeal this Friday, February 7, for having promoted a company during the award of a public market when he was mayor of Annonay.
The former Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, was finally convicted of a favoritism case dating back to his mandate as mayor of Annonay, Ardèche, this Friday, February 7. Accused of having favored the company SAUR, specialized in the treatment of water, when awarding the public market of the commune which he administered, the former minister was found guilty by appeal by calling from Paris. He was ordered to pay a fine of 15,000 euros, including 10,000 suspended.
It is a hard blow for Olivier Dussopt who had been released during his judgment at first instance in January 2024. The man said “act of the decision of the Paris Court of Appeal of a firm 5th of 5 000 euros “, with France Télévisions. “Unlike the court which released me at first instance, the Court considers that an error would have been made in a procedure for the passing of a public subcontracting market in 2009, an error having been able to lead to a break in equality between The candidates, which I dispute, “he added concerning the court decision. And Olivier Dussopt, convicted of his decisions as mayor of Annonay to ensure that he has “always acted in the interest of the Annoyans and the City.”
The case, revealed by Mediapart In 2023, then the one who was then Minister of Labor was in the upper standoff to carry out the pension reform, concerned facts dating back to 2009. At the time, Olivier Dussopt worked on the creation of a municipal management to make “Lower the price of water by 25%,” he recalls this February 7, and was looking for a business to take charge of this new public market.
The newspaper’s investigations had put forward exchanges and meetings between the former mayor of Annonay and the managers of the Saur company before the water management market was awarded to the latter. It is also the discovery of a gift offered to Olivier Dussopt by one of the leaders of Saur in 2017 – two lithographs by the painter Gérard Garouste – who had aroused suspicion.
As during his trial at first instance, the former Minister of Labor reaffirmed after having learned the judgment on appeal “that there was in this file any enrichment or personal interest”. In January 2024, Olivier Dussopt had declared on Bfmtv That his trial was “a moment neither pleasant nor deserved” from which he hoped only one thing: to be relaxed. If his wish had been granted at the time, the decision has since been reviewed by the courts. It remains to be seen whether the elected official will file an appeal in cassation.