Guillaume Soupart, MR Member of Parliament, questioned François Desquesnes, Minister for Local Authorities, during a plenary session at the Walloon Parliament, regarding the recent revelations published by Sudinfo on the management and good governance of public shareholdings and intermunicipal bodies. These revelations implicate Luc Joris, a prominent director labelled PS, who has sat on key bodies such as SOGEPA, FN Herstal and the SNCB.
Legitimate questions about transparency and public ethics
The Sudinfo articles have brought to light shocking statements and questionable practices, including land sales at undervalued prices, potential conflicts of interest and issues of undue influence. While the presumption of innocence must be respected, these revelations recall past scandals in Wallonia, such as Publifin or Nethys, which had led to the creation of parliamentary commissions to strengthen the governance of intermunicipal bodies and public structures.
Guillaume Soupart stressed: “These revelations raise questions. We cannot act as if nothing has happened, especially when it comes to structures as important as SOGEPA, FN Herstal or the SNCB. It is essential to shed full light on these matters, to guarantee transparency and citizens' trust in public management.”
A cautious but insufficient ministerial response
Minister Desquesnes recalled that his remit is limited to oversight of local authorities, and that the structures in question (SNCB, SOGEPA, Ogeo Fund, etc.) fall outside his purview. He nevertheless confirmed that his services had contacted the lawyer handling the Publifin-Nethys case, who indicated there was no link to local authorities. The Minister also mentioned that the judicial authority had been alerted by one of the parties involved.
The MR proposes a parliamentary hearing
In light of these elements, Guillaume Soupart reiterated the need to act: “We welcome the Minister's caution, but good governance must be a proactive priority. The Walloon Parliament must be able to hear Luc Joris and Elio Di Rupo to understand their respective roles in these matters and assess whether a commission of inquiry should be set up. Transparency is non-negotiable: citizens deserve clear answers about the use of public funds and the integrity of decisions taken.”
The MR points out that these revelations are part of a series of failings (such as the controversial sponsorship deal by the intermunicipal body RESA) and stresses the need to strengthen control mechanisms to prevent further scandals.
Next steps
MR President Georges-Louis Bouchez states: “The MR will call for the creation of a parliamentary commission if the hearings reveal proven failings or persistent grey areas. The aim: to restore trust in the management of public shareholdings and ensure that all parties (including the Judiciary) have the elements needed to act. Transparency must be established in these far too numerous intermunicipal bodies. ”