Paris (AFP)
The heir of Pierre Bergé, Madison Cox, called by the employees of the World to grant them a right to look at the capital changes of the group, told them Monday that he would take "any initiative that provides enough security to the newsrooms and group to maintain control of their destiny ".
This is the first time he has spoken since the ultimatum issued by employees to shareholders to obtain a "right of approval" currently under negotiation.
"I am a shareholder of an unusual newspaper company, whose history and values are drawn from the Resistance, in the heart of the darkest night France has known, they make the + World + and other publications of the group of monuments living and rare, to be indifferent is to turn our backs on what France gives as generous, free and independent, "writes Pierre Bergé's right-holder in this letter addressed to the World.
"Resolutely attached to the reasons that brought Pierre Bergé + World + in 2010, I will take any initiative that provides enough security to the news and the group to maintain control of their destiny," he concludes, without saying clearly and in what conditions he would like to sign the right of approval.
In 2010, the newspaper's center of independence, which brings together employees, journalists and the readers' society, chose among several bids from the trio Bergé-Niel-Pigasse, who then created the company "Le Monde Libre". .
The other two shareholders will gradually take over until 2021 the shares of Pierre Bergé, who died in 2017.
But the unexpected alliance of Matthieu Pigasse and Daniel Kretinsky, fifth Czech fortune, raises the concern of the Pole of Independence which includes the Society of writers, employees and historical shareholders.
On Saturday, Mr. Pigasse declared himself conditional to a "right of approval", however, refusing a "right of repudiation" that would allow employees to directly choose a new shareholder, and solemnly assured that it would remain the majority shareholder on his part of Le Monde (which he now co-owns with Daniel Kretinsky).
"We continue to have the greatest doubts about the amount and nature of the contract to sell shares of Matthieu Pigasse to Daniel Kretinsky last year," said Jerome Fenoglio, director of the World, in the columns of the newspaper Monday.
In addition to a forum signed by almost all the editorial staff of the group, Le Monde has received and distributed several marks of support, from personalities and readers, with a double page of letters published Monday.
© 2019 AFP