Paris City Hall Threatens Fine Against Group That Disclosed Mayor Hidalgo’s Expenses
PARIS – The Association Transparency Citizen,โ aโค group focused on government accountability, is facing a potential fine of โฌ210,000 from Paris City Hall after publishingโ details of expenses incurred by โคMayor Anne Hidalgo’sโ office.The city โขalleges the group โขillegally obtainedโ and disseminated confidential information, escalating a dispute over transparency and publicโค access to financialโฃ records.
The move comes amid a broader controversy surrounding the โคrelease of โขinvoices detailing costs associated with the mayor’s activities, which critics claim reveal excessive spending. The city hall maintains the publicationโฃ of these โdocuments degrades public space and generates unnecessary cleaning costs. The Association Transparency Citizen’s actions โขhave ignited aโ political firestorm, with Hidalgo’s office denouncing what โคtheyโข describe as aโ “voyeuristic campaign for the sole purpose of โคharming” the mayor โand announcing plans to fileโ a complaintโฃ for slanderous denunciation against unknown parties (“X”).
According to a statement released by the city, theโค investigation initiated in response to the disclosures will โขaim โขto identify both individuals and organizations involved in what they characterize as a “criminal offense.” City officials further assert that the released information is subjectโฃ to “manipulations which distort the facts and harm the โimage and honor” of Mayor Hidalgo. The city hall has not specified the exact legal basis forโฃ the proposed fine, butโ cites concerns โover data protection and the unauthorized disclosure โฃof administrativeโข documents.