Allegations of Abuse and Misuse of European Money in Hilde Vautmans’ Cabinet Spark Controversy

There are many types of abuse that are said to have happened in Hilde Vautmans’ cabinet in recent years, according to reports. Knock. For example, the weekly magazine questions the way in which the liberal politician, who is also the first elder in Sint-Truiden, uses European money. A former worker testifies, among other things, how a local resident of Vautmans was on the European payroll for years as a ‘local worker’, although that person did not work Any European but that he was just a “jack of all trades for Vautmans”. and her family.”

Vautmans is also said to have sent staff to help prepare election leaflets in Limburg for Truiense buses and supply instructions, in which “not a word is mentioned about Europe”. An intern was illegally paid for this with European money.

Several ex-employees also confirm that they had to pay their own telephone bills, although MEP receives a monthly allowance of 4,950 euros to cover such costs. In addition, Vautmans regularly collected daily allowances to attend the European Parliament, although she only signed her name and then left again . Such a daily allowance amounts to 350 euros, which is in addition to her net European salary of about 8,000 euros and her salary as an elder of more than 5,000 euros.

Vautmans attracted criticism in April 2022 with a jubilant (and now deleted) tweet in which she announced that the VAT rate for horses “can finally be reduced in Europe”. “She buys VIP tables with European money (cost price: 6,500 euros without VAT, ed.) at horse events, add a European logo and then conveniently declare that it is a debate about Europe,” says an employee in Knock. “In reality, there is not much to talk about Europe, but it is there for pleasure.”

Psychological harassment

According to Knack, there was a toxic work atmosphere in the Vautmans office, eighteen permanent employees left in nine years and several part-time trainees also quit. “There was psychological fear. It was one of the most difficult times of my career,” says a former employee. “We were deceived. It was really a WhatsApp terror,” says another former employee of the Limburg MEP.

Staff and trainees are said to have been openly humiliated on several occasions when Vautmans or her chief of staff were dissatisfied with their work. In addition, Truiense regularly did not leave its employees alone outside of working hours.

In the upcoming European elections on June 9, Hilde Vautmans will be the European party leader for Open VLD. When asked to respond, Vautmans talks about “defamatory accusations”. “Of course it is difficult to respond to anonymous accusations,” he said. She emphasizes that not a single complaint has ever been made against her in her career, “although the European Parliament gives given many opportunities for this”.

In The 7th day Open VLD chairman Tom Ongena was asked about the issue on VRT 1. “I heard Hilde about that. She promises me that everything has gone according to the rules and that there is strict control. Hilde is one of the hardest working parliamentarians,” said Ongena. He also believes it is difficult to defend himself against “anonymous” criticism.