“Inaccurate and tendentious”: Former alderman Kris Demeyere responds to report
LITERAL:
“Mr. Kris Demeyere is forced to respond briefly to the media reporting regarding the strictly confidential report of the forensic audit concerning the local government of Knokke-Heist from Audit Vlaanderen of September 14, 2023.
Audit Flanders expressly reports that the information is strictly confidential and that this report may not be shared – in whole or in part – outside the municipal council, and that offenders who do not adhere to this confidentiality can be prosecuted, punished and held liable for all damage caused results from that.
Certain people believe that they are apparently above the law and are unlawfully smearing the reputation of Mr. Demeyere, his family, his company and his employees. These persons are apparently helped by certain media, which also deliberately ignore the express request of his advisers to respect the confidentiality of the report.”
‘Trial by media’
“Mr Demeyere stated in his Open Letter to all residents of Knokke-Heist dated August 31st via his website www.krisdemeyere.be already an indictment against such ‘trial by media’. His advisors will continue to take appropriate action against this.
The safeguarding of the presumption of innocence and the rights of defense are essential in a constitutional state. It is clear and demonstrated that these basic principles of the rule of law have been violated by all who communicate and disseminate the report.
Mr. Demeyere has never been convicted of any allegation reported in the media; statements that are disputed by Mr Demeyere.”
“In good conscience”
“Mr. Demeyere reiterates and emphasizes that he has always acted in good faith, that he has never mixed his professional interests and the interests of the municipality, that he has never exerted any influence or pressure on anyone, and that he has not enriched himself in any way through his former alderman position.
All this is indeed repeatedly and explicitly confirmed in the statements of all employees of the municipality of Knokke-Heist who were interviewed in the context of the audit.
In no way has Mr Demeyere served or promoted his private interests through his former aldermanic position. He has always acted in full openness without being challenged by anyone on any level. All Mr. Demeyere did was put his professional expertise and experience at the service of municipal services in the interests of the residents of Knokke-Heist.
This has saved the municipality hundreds of thousands of euros. Moreover, an alderman has no individual decision-making powers and the full board of mayor and aldermen has approved every decision, in his presence or absence, and files and decisions were prepared and implemented by the municipal administration.”
“Suggestive”
“Mr. Demeyere is very disappointed with the suggestive way in which Audit Vlaanderen has conducted its investigation and contributes to the ‘framing’ of his person through the formulation of the report. Audit Vlaanderen’s report is inaccurate, tendentious, disproportionate and defies any sense of reality. Without any possibility of response to the report, his trial is made in the media.
Great damage is thus being caused to Mr Demeyere, his family, his company and his employees, without Mr Demeyere being able to respond in any way to this confidential report, the contents of which he disputes. Mr Demeyere cannot yet explicitly comment on the substance of Audit Flanders’ report, given its confidential nature. He will refute all alleged allegations one by one before the competent and impartial authorities and place the true facts in a correct perspective.
He looks forward with great confidence to any objective investigation of the gratuitous accusations made against his person. This will take some time. Unfortunately, this positive result for Mr Demeyere may no longer be reported.”