Pairi Daiza's decision to finance its project alone is a free and sovereign choice that I respect.
However, I want to be very clear: the Government never demanded anything.
The approved support fell under a legal, transparent and strictly regulated framework, applicable to all companies investing and creating jobs in Wallonia.
Investment aid is not a matter of royal favour. It is based on objective criteria set by decree and is handled entirely independently by the administration. In this case, it is simply a matter of applying those rules.
Beyond this individual case, this debate reveals a deeper unease. In Wallonia, those who invest and succeed too often have to justify themselves. Through repeated controversies, a climate of distrust is being created that penalises the whole Region.
Pairi Daiza is a major player, rooted in Wallonia, which has been investing for more than thirty years, attracts visitors from around the world and creates lasting jobs that by nature cannot be relocated.
I therefore regret that this matter has been used to question the legitimacy of public intervention. Asking questions about the use of public money is normal. Stigmatising those who invest is not.
I welcome the company's sense of responsibility and the gesture made by Eric Domb and his teams. This is to their credit.
But this decision must not be used as a pretext to weaken the tools that attract and support investment. Without investment, there is neither growth nor employment.
My message is clear: either we support those who dare to invest, or we maintain a climate of suspicion that discourages initiative. For my part, I have made my choice.