Things are not as they should be at the National Audiovisual Centre (CNA), and changes are needed, Green MP Djuna Bernard said on Monday morning as guest speaker. Before any concrete decisions are taken, however, she stressed that the situation must first be thoroughly analysed, unlike the ongoing energy crisis, which needs immediate relief.
At the centre of the controversy is CNA director Gilles Zeimet, who faces allegations of both harassment and professional failings. Among the concerns raised is whether the air conditioning system at the Family of Man exhibition in Clervaux was functioning properly, potentially exposing the photographs to damaging temperatures and humidity levels. Zeimet and Culture Minister Eric Thill both told the parliamentary committee on culture that the photos had never been exposed to harmful conditions, a claim disputed in particular by Left MP Marc Baum, who has said Zeimet should not remain as director if the figures presented to the committee prove to be inaccurate.
Bernard was more measured on this point, but made clear that she has concerns. She noted that if facts emerge that contradict Zeimet’s statements to the committee, then there is a serious problem, as it would mean that either scientific information was withheld or the facts were interpreted in a way that requires explanation.
More broadly, she questioned whether it remains appropriate for a cultural institution like the CNA to have all decision-making power concentrated in the hands of a single director, suggesting that responsibility should be spread more widely.
Gilles Zeimet was appointed under former Culture Minister Sam Tanson of the Greens. Asked whether her party bears some responsibility for the current situation, Bernard replied that the standard process involves a selection committee conducting interviews and making a recommendation to the minister, and that this procedure had been followed in this case.
The war in Iran and its economic consequences, particularly the surge in energy prices, cannot be ignored. The government has indicated it is considering measures should the situation require them. For Bernard, that moment has already arrived and that it’s time the government takes decisive action. She is calling for a tax credit along the lines of the one introduced in 2022 in response to the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, arguing that such a mechanism would ensure that those most in need receive help first.
At the same time, she argued that the high energy prices presents an opportunity to push the energy transition forward rather than stall it. She called for a full investment offensive in renewables, expressing regret that support in areas such as electromobility has been scaled back in recent years. A concrete example she put forward is financial aid for households wishing to install an electric vehicle charging point at home.
Bernard also warned that businesses must not be overlooked in any support package. The government’s current approach of playing for time, she said, sends entirely the wrong signal.
