On July 16, Laurent Vauquier delivered three air conditioners to a Vienna hospital before announcing the purchase of 1,500 more units. Then a controversy broke out on social networks around their price.
The ad hit the mark. On July 16, as part of his “air conditioning plan,” Laurent Vauquier himself brought three air conditioners to the Vienna hospital so that the facility would be better equipped to cope with the extreme heat. The LR MP from Haute-Loire then announced the price, sparking controversy on social media.
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“This is the first part, the region will buy 1,500. This is a significant budget: for this first part alone we will invest 1.5 million euros,” said the former president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
The information attracted the attention of more than one Internet user: some estimated that the model presented, available for purchase online at a price of 350 euros, was paid for 1,000 euros, according to figures provided by Laurent Vauquier and after a quick calculation.
Envelope, not expense
Faced with controversy, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region wanted to clarify the purchase of these air conditioners and correct the misunderstanding. “The first 120 air conditioners delivered this week were purchased on a rush basis for less than 60,000 euros (350 euros each) to ensure a quick response,” she told BFMTV, stressing that “there were no tenders.”
There are still 1,500 air conditioners to be ordered. The tender this time will be announced in the second half of the year, “1.5 million euros will be allocated for this.”
“These will be air conditioners that can cover large areas (about 50 m2), so prices will be higher than the first air conditioners. This is not a price that will be paid, but a dedicated budget package,” the region adds.
The administration clarifies that paying 1000 for an air conditioner is also out of the question. The region has yet to go through a tender procedure, the interest of which is precisely in obtaining “more attractive prices.”