For these 82 senators and deputies, it is too much. Still having in mind the sale, in January, of the defense company Exxelia to the American Heico, these elected officials, all from the Les Républicains party, fear that the proposed takeover by Daniel Kretinsky (indirect shareholder of the World) of the outsourcing activities of Atos and its entry into the capital of its cybersecurity division, Eviden, cut a little more into French sovereignty. “This company, which remains key to our current strategic autonomy, through computing capabilities, and tomorrow, with quantum-related issues, must absolutely be maintained under French control”they wrote on August 2, in a grandstand at Figaro.
Eviden performs several missions for national defense. For example, its Digital Battle Management System software serves as the basis for the information system of the Scorpion program to modernize combat capabilities in contact with the army. It also created Athea, a joint venture with Thales, to work on the future “infostructure” regal authority of the Ministry of the Armed Forces. As for its supercomputers, manufactured in its factory in Angers, they are used in the nuclear test simulation program. “The hypothesis of seeing such a powerful foreign actor approaching our ultra-sensitive military capabilities deserves our full attention”writes the group of parliamentarians.
“Let’s stop selling off our flagships and weakening ourselves”, continues Cédric Perrin, vice-president of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense of the Senate, at the origin of the platform. Senator of the Territory of Belfort, bastion of Alstom, he remains marked by the sale of the energy branch of the industrialist to the American General Electric in 2015, before the State realizes its mistake and buys it in 2022 , through EDF, its nuclear activities, including the Arabelle turbines that equip French power stations.
No passage in front of the control of foreign investments
After Casino, and in addition to his activities in the media and energy, Mr. Perrin is surprised that the government leaves Mr. Kretinsky “buy back the French economic fabric by apartment”. By taking only 7.5% of the capital of Eviden, the Czech businessman avoids going through the control of foreign investments, the threshold triggering a review by the services of the Ministry of the Economy being set at 10 % of capital.
On August 3, a spokesperson for Mr. Kretinsky ruled “legitimises the concern of parliamentarians, but it is based on an assumption that will not be verified”. According to him, the businessman intends to maintain a participation “minority” And ” passive “ in the capital of Evidence. For Atos, the choice to grant 7.5% of the capital of Eviden to Mr. Krestinky would respond to the desire to build a block of long-term shareholders. It is expected that Fimalac, the holding company of Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, which is already supporting Mr. Kretinsky in the Casino file, will also enter the capital of Eviden. Atos and Bercy did not comment.
You have 27.76% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.