The mayor of Montauban in slingshot against the closure of shops non-food with confinement: Brigitte Barèges took and signed this Thursday, October 30, a municipal decree going against the measures announced by the government, and authorizing the reopening of these small local businesses, such as hairdressers or booksellers.
Unfair competition between small businesses and supermarkets
In a video statement, she castigates theinjustice of these closures and the disastrous economic consequences they imply for city businesses. She also denounces the unfair competition supermarkets, authorized to remain open, and at the same time to sell items that are not necessarily foodstuffs.
The shops of Montauban must be considered essential and must remain open – Brigitte Barèges, mayor of Montauban
“The decisions taken by the State create a real distortion of competition” explains the mayor of Montauban. _ “They allow supermarkets and online shops to continue their activity to the detriment of our small shops. The shops of Montauban must be considered essential and therefore must remain open”.
An order declared illegal by the prefect of Tarn-et-Garonne
The prefecture of Tarn et Garonne reacted in the wake last night, signaling in a press release that the municipal decree taken by the mayor of Montauban is illegal and unenforceable. Pierre Besnard, the prefect of Tarn et Garonne, warns traders: if they reopen, they always incur a fine, despite the decree. “I asked the police to move around the city to warn businesses that would like to reopen that the decree is illegal and that they must close their establishment under penalty of sanction”, he indicates this Saturday morning to France Bleu Occitanie.
“The situation for traders is delicate enough so as not to outbid on measures that are not applicable”, continues the prefect, who asks the mayor of Montauban to withdraw it as soon as possible and who has filed an summary before the administrative court.
Like Brigitte Barèges,other mayors in France, in particular in Perpignan, Brive, Chalon-sur-Saône among others, who fear to see their city center die, have also taken decrees in this direction.
A decree similar to Mazamet from Monday
The mayor of Mazamet (Tarn) also considering taking a decree from this Monday to allow certain businesses in his town to reopen. “The wording of the decree will be a little different from those published on social networks today (Migennes Montauban, Perpignan …) to give it the maximum chance of being able to be implemented”, says Olivier Fabre on the city’s social networks.
The Association of Mayors of France also asks the government to reconsider its definition of so-called “essential” businesses and to expand it. “as soon as health security conditions allow the health of traders, their employees and their customers to be preserved”.
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