Each person is entitled to his or her own opinion. On the other hand, calling someone a “moron” and a “retard” is certainly not the best of manners; even more so if you are an automotive industry executive and the individual on the receiving end is a minister of the government.
Jean-Claude Debard is (or rather was) the head of Mitsubishi’s French dealer network, which is owned by Swiss group Emil Frey and is also the Japanese carmaker’s official importer in the country.
According to Reuters, Debard was quoted by French daily La Provence making the following statement about industry minister Arnaud Montebourg: “This moron, this retard, is increasing green taxes, lowering speed limits on the Paris ring road and ruining our lives.
Three days earlier, he had accused the minister of harming the auto industry with his decisions while, at the same time, he purports to be defending it.
Mitsubishi France formally apologized about those “discourteous remarks”. It also announced that Debard “has stepped down for personal reasons”, a decision that “takes effect immediately”.
France’s main industry group, CCFA, stated, “these insulting remarks have astounded the entire French automotive industry”.
By Andrew Tsaousis
PHOTO GALLERY
