According to information from Europe 1, the project to install a Saudi Olympic village in Les Invalides has been shelved. The Ministry of the Armed Forces warned its Saudi interlocutors that France “was no longer able to respond to their request”. In recent weeks, the Hôtel des Invalides had also been the subject of controversy with the disappearance of the Cross on the Olympic Games poster.
The controversy started on February 28 with a question from MP LR Nathalie Serre in the hemicycle of the National Assembly. While the Saudi Olympic village project had never been made public, this elected representative from Rhône had requested “clarifications” from the government regarding this installation planned “from May and for a period of four months”.
Due to the absence of the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, that day at the Palais Bourbon, Patricia Mirallès, Secretary of State for Veterans and Memory, “tried to respond” without satisfying Nathalie Serre nor to the President of the National Assembly. Yaël Braun-Pivet then addressed the minister in charge of relations with Parliament, Marie Lebec: “I thank you for indicating to the ministers that they should really answer the questions asked by Parliament.”
Sébastien Lecornu supported this project
On February 29, the day after this exchange in the Assembly, the Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu then responded on the sidelines of a trip to a question from Europe 1: “There is in fact a project which is supported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Many countries are looking for places to set up reception areas for the delegations of their country, obviously for the athlete delegations. The decision has not yet been completely made but I understand that Saudi Arabia offered to participate in the financing of the Army Museum and the National Institute of Invalides as part of a sponsorship operation. I indicated that the file should be investigated.
I rightly consider that, as Minister of the Armed Forces and in view of the investment we have with Riyadh on security and defense issues, that accessing, in any case looking sympathetically at the Saudi request contributes to defense of our interests. If it also makes it possible to have a sponsorship operation for the Invalides Institute or for the Army Museum, I think it is going in the right direction.”
“More able to respond to their demand”
Almost a month later, and while in the meantime another controversy has arisen about the Invalides with the disappearance of the Cross on the poster for the Olympic Games, Europe 1 is able to reveal that this project installation of the Saudi Olympic village is completely canceled. The Ministry of the Armed Forces confirms that a “letter from the military governor of Paris went to his interlocutors to tell them that we were no longer able to respond to their request to rent space to disabled people due to the lack of feedback from them and deadlines that are now too short to ensure that the place is made available in good conditions.
Source: Europe1
I have been working in the news website industry for over 4 years now, first as a reporter and then as an editor. I enjoy writing about politics news and am also an author. I try to cover a lot of different angles when it comes to my articles so that readers can get a well-rounded understanding of the story.
