2023-12-01 16:58:00
A show combining artists and video-mapping is projected for four days at the Verviers Town Hall until this Sunday. Prepared by the company Tour des Sites Organization and called “L’Or bleu”, it aims to retrace the history of the town and its special relationship with water.
One element caught the attention of several observers: the projection on the building of the signature of Pierre-Yves Jeholet below his title of minister-president of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
Elected officials quickly stepped up to criticize the broadcast of the signature in a public event financed with public money. “A few months before the elections, the minister-president is taking the opportunity to do his own publicity. It’s scandalous,” criticized PTB deputy Germain Mugemangango.
Reaction of the Minister-President
This Friday, we questioned the main person concerned regarding this incident. Here is his response:
“It’s a storm in a teacup. In fact, I supported this demonstration on Blue Gold in Verviers following the floods at the level of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. It is also an event which was to take place last year but which did not find the necessary support. So, I supported this event which was otherwise remarkable, and in fact the organizer and the person who carries out the event put my name large on the facade of Verviers. So as soon as I saw that, obviously, I was surprised because there had been no request in this direction and as of last night, well before the controversy, I obviously said that I wanted remove not only the mention of my function, but also the name, which was done directly. There are still demonstrations today, tomorrow and Sunday. So obviously there won’t be anything left. But now, I think the incident is closed“.
Pierre-Yves Jeholet claimed to have proactively explained the situation to the President of Parliament. “I was asked to speak at the start of the performances, as is frequently the case for a minister in office during various events. For organizational reasons, this intervention was recorded and had to be broadcast, at my request, in voice-over (without my projected image), and with the logo of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, which appeared to me to constitute beacons going to the beyond legal obligations“, specifies the letter sent by the person concerned. “The title of my position and my name were projected, in large format and in a graphic form that was unknown to me, next to the name of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. As soon as I learned of this, contact was made with the organizer to ask him to remove not only my name but also the mention of my title, this being an initiative specific to the operator“.
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