By Guillaume Laurens
Published on 11 Feb 21 at 1:00 p.m.
–
“Yesterday evening, I was at the bottom of the hole”. At the reins of the City of Ingres for 20 years, Brigitte Barèges lost everything. She was sentenced on Tuesday February 9, 2021 for embezzlement of public funds per person holding public authority, to 12 months suspended sentence, 15,000 euros fine, but also and above all a 5-year ineligibility sentence, with provisional execution.
Justice considered that Brigitte Barèges did have recourse to the fictitious employment of a collaborator, who had assured to have been paid out of public funds, in order to write laudatory articles on her boss in a local publication, The small newspaper, in the middle of the 2014 municipal campaign.
It is on the basis of this case, that in a flash, emerging from the judicial tribunal of Toulouse, she saw all her political mandates fly away, to the City, as well as to the Agglomeration that she presides, or in the Department, where she is an advisor.
“For me, it is the supreme humiliation”
In a video posted on social networks, the elected, very moved, had first denounced Wednesday a “brutality”, a “violence” and an injustice “ which, she says, “affected her a lot”. Lamenting “A political trap”, she had been offensive in the face of “an investigation by the SRPJ and an investigation against him”.
A few hours later, in front of the press, and to the applause of the elected officials of her majority, Brigitte Barèges once again denounced a “political condemnation”, and indicated that she would “take the time to write” her story, so that “the truth may come out.”
To be prosecuted for embezzlement, for me, is the supreme humiliation, because all my life, in Montauban, I have brought order everywhere.
Believing that she “Disturbs the regional political areopagus”, the elected “regrets not being able to participate in the next departmental and regional events”, a deadline for which she had recently approached the mayor of Béziers (Hérault), Robert Menard, with a view to bringing about a “union of rights” in Occitania.
“I will continue to work for them, by proxy”
Pending the publication of the decree of the prefect of Tarn-et-Garonne, which will formalize the end of his duties, Brigitte Barèges has already appealed on Wednesday against the court’s decision, and “hopes a lot from this appeal before the court of appeal”, which would allow him, in the event of a hypothetical acquittal, to recover his mandates …
“I will not let go, I will continue to take care of Montauban”, maintained the one who is nicknamed “the warrior”. Despite the headwinds, she did not intend to retreat and presented the trio that would ensure the “transitional period” pending his return, and who would be inducted within 15 days after the prefect’s order.
Because Brigitte Barèges foresees that she will be back at the helm in a few months: by then, “I will continue to work for them, of course, by proxy. I’ll have more time, so I’m going to walk the streets and see the construction sites. I will follow the business voluntarily ”.
It is an interim government that will be put in place, pending the decision of the court of appeal, which will decide on the provisional or final nature of the sanction imposed on me.
A “triumvirate of loyal and faithful people” to “ensure the interim”
On Wednesday evening, she therefore presented the “triumvirate of loyal and faithful people” to whom the keys of the city and its satellites would be entrusted: it is therefore Axel de Labriolle, so far first deputy, who should become Mayor of Montauban. This cardiologist from the City of Ingres will indeed be the only majority candidate for the mayor’s chair. Thierry Deville, current first vice-president of the agglomeration of Grand Montauban, takes over the presidency. This lawyer was a figure of the local PRG before joining Brigitte Barèges for the Regionals in 2010, and turning to the right. Finally, Marie-Claude Berly, his “faithful lieutenant”, also departmental secretary of the Republicans and whom certain elected officials pushed behind the scenes for the town hall, was finally appointed to preside over the destinies of Sirtomad, the local waste treatment union.
“We will give you the keys to the city”, promise his successors
Propelled on the front of the scene, the lieutenants of Brigitte Barèges all deplored “an injustice” and spoke of a « transition ». “Today there was a political attack ”, notably attacked the future mayor, Axel de Labriolle, denouncing “a deliberate desire to exclude him from the political game”.
“It is not a period of succession, but of a transitory one, where we will take care of the affairs of the city. For footballers, it is a little as if, after a yellow card, we had to play at 10 for a while. time.”
“The town of Montauban is temporarily orphaned,” continued Thierry Deville. “We will give you the keys to the city.”
A demonstration of support, Saturday afternoon
Brigitte Barèges also confirmed the holding of the “Manifestation” of support, that it promises to be “peaceful” and that the deposed mayor had announced the day before. The event will be held on Saturday February 13 at 3 pm, “in front of the prefecture of Montauban, place Foch”. Watchword ? “To say that we do not understand”.
–
