The High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life has blocked the recruitment of Lauriano Azinheirinha, one of the right arms of the mayor of Nice, by the group of private clinics Kantys, due to the risk of illegal taking of interest .
by Maxime Vaudano
After two decades in the whirlwind of Nice political life, Lauriano Azinheirinha thought of having a comfortable end of career in the private sector. At the age of 54, this relative of the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, had received an attractive offer from Kantys, a group of private expansion clinics, property of the millionaire Jean-Louis Oger. “When a headhunter firm approached me with this proposal, I said to myself” why not? “He says. I like professional challenges, and working in public health is coherent with my journey . “” The profile of Mr. Azinheirinha was discussed given his managerial experience, “adds the group Kantys.
It was to count without the vigilance of the high authority for the transparency of public life (HATVP). According to information from the world, the institution blocked its “pantouflage” to Kantys on September 20, noting an illegal risk of interest. A rare decision, since the HATVP, guaranteeing the probity of public officials, only deracts on average 10 % of the “mobility projects of public officials to the private sector” from which it is seized.
Although anonymized, The decision made public on the HATVP website in October offers some keys to understand the reluctance of the institution. After nine years as assistant to Christian Estrosi, Lauriano Azinheirinha officiated for five years as Director General of Services (DGS) of the City and the Metropolis of Nice, between 2017 and 2022. A discreet but strategic position, which consists in piloting the ‘Municipal administration and to support the mayor in his management, as can do a director of administration in a ministry. As such, he had to know two files involving the Kantys group.
The risk of an elevator referral
Starting with the sale in Kantys of a municipal plot of 2.3 hectares in the “eco -(ecovall” of the Var plain, on which the group plans to build by 2026 a large “health center”. The land, owned by the municipality of Nice, was sold for just under 9 million euros, after a favorable opinion from the municipal council in May 2021. Shortly after, the Metropolis of Nice declared the project of general interest and requested from the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes a derogation from the rules of urbanization to facilitate its establishment. However, these two deliberations “had been validated [e] s by one of the assistants of [Lauriano Azinheirinha] acting under his authority,” notes the HATVP. “In his capacity as Director General of Services, [he] had necessarily been led to know this project,” continues the opinion.
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