The past week was about a Wallonia leaning towards communism, not requiring oral masks in shops, and the Flemish government that also has a hole in its hand. Knackeditor Ewald Pironet looks back.
1. Money flows
‘We are probably at 70 percent government spending in Wallonia by 2021-2022. That is, we are closer to a communist than to a neo-liberal regime that some believe to see. “
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National Bank governor Pierre Wunsch caused a stir in Wallonia with a statement that simply says what it says on it: ‘Today we have a problem of institutional tension and an economic structure in the south of the country that depends on transfers from Flanders. We are probably at 70 percent government spending in Wallonia for 2021-2022. This means that we are closer to a communist than to a neo-liberal regime, which some believe to see. “It is a fact that Wallonia is slipping further and further. Wunsch said this previously in an interview with Knack: ‘Roughly speaking, you can say: between 1960 and 2000, the gap between Flanders and Wallonia grew by almost 1 percent annually. That is enormous. This was followed by a pause for several years, but since the crisis in 2008 the gap has widened again, albeit at a slower rate of 0.2 to 0.3 percent per year. That is certainly not good news, because the gap should actually narrow. “At the time, Wunsch left no misunderstanding about the reasons:” This is undoubtedly largely due to the policy pursued by the regions and communities, because they are responsible for things like infrastructure, activation of the unemployed, training and so on. ‘In the magazine of the French-speaking university UCL, Wunsch made a simple calculation last week. He assumes that the level of government expenditure is the same everywhere in Belgium. However, the size of the Walloon economy is small, so that public expenditure amounts to 70 percent of Walloon GDP. Hence his statement that we are “ closer to a communist than to a neo-liberal regime, ” and Wunsch also referred to transfers. According to calculations by Professor André Decoster (KULeuven), 6.5 billion euros flow from Flemish taxpayers to Wallonia via federal taxes and social security. Another half a billion euros will be added from Brussels. As Philippe Destatte, director of the Walloon think tank Institut Destrée, said before: “Wallonia can only survive thanks to money flows from Europe and Flanders.” The PS has been deciding the path Wallonia has taken for decades. The economic results she can present are disastrous, the gap with the rest of the country is widening. That does not stop her from continuing on the chosen path. For example, during the election campaign, the PS proposed to introduce a four-day working week with pay retention. And in the note that informateur and PS chairman Paul Magnette wrote, he talks about the introduction of a minimum pension of 1500 euros, that those who resign themselves receive benefits, and that consultations with general practitioners and dentists should become free. It is easy to spend money when others pay the bills. But we have come at a time when lender Flanders is in the red with its budget and that every euro spent is to be carefully considered. So also about the money flows, especially if the results of what happens with that money are as disastrous as in Wallonia. It is time for everyone, especially and especially financially, to become responsible for the policy they think they should pursue. The Flemish government gives checks of 180 euros to those who have a Flemish party in their street around the weekend of 11 July. The check ‘gives you a push to make your summer street more pleasant. You can use the check to install some façade gardens, to invite an artist, to give the local middle class a boost, to provide extra playing material or whatever ‘, it is said, the decision came a few days after Flemish Minister of Economy, Hilde Crevits (CD&V), announced that she will spend 90 million euros on entrepreneurship over the next four years. ‘Bazooka provides guidance to companies,’ Crevits calls it himself. The money will go to civil society organizations such as Unizo and Voka, who will provide advice. These two initiatives raise the eyebrows. Firstly, the Flemish budget is heading for a deficit of 6.5 billion euros, so that one can ask whether money should go to such initiatives. In addition, the N-VA in particular denounced such ‘free money’ politics in the past, when Steve Stevaert (SP.A) showed himself to be a master of it. That the Jambon government is now doing the same thing raises questions, such as: what does power do to a person? The money would have gone better to serious initiatives to stimulate our economy, or for example to the healthcare sector. The Flemish government illustrates once again that she also has a hole in her hand. Some recap: – More than 450 doctors wrote an open last week letter on Knack.be including the following message: ‘Please continue to wear the mask when you are in public, busy places or in poorly ventilated areas. We are thinking in particular of public transport, supermarkets and shops. This is a very small effort, absolutely not harmful to yourself but possibly life-saving for others: a sign of respect and also a friendly reminder to continue to take care of each other. It should be clear that both doctors and experts strongly recommend this .’- Infectiologist Erika Vlieghe, chair of the GEES, the expert group that advises the government on any relaxation of the measures, says that several studies have proven that mouth masks do not (completely , but) largely stop. And so that it would be good if everyone wore them in shops, where a lot of people can be present at certain times. “And if there was an obligation, people would carry it. That is simple and unambiguous, and it is a clear symbol that it is not over yet and we must continue to take care of each other. I think that’s the vital point. ”- Virologist Marc Van Ranst on Twitter:“ In this exit phase, the crowds in the department stores and shops are gradually increasing, and it is not always possible to keep 1.5 meters away. I advocate mandating face masks in department stores and shops. “Highly recommended” clearly doesn’t work. “- Sciensano’s virologist, Steven Van Gucht, at VRT NWS:” A minority of people wear a mask in the store. The strong recommendation is interpreted loosely, “we don’t have to, so we don’t do it”. People who follow the rules strictly feel frustrated. If we oblige the masks in shops, there will be no more discussion. ”- Epidemiologist Pierre Van Damme: ‘We believe in prevention rather than cure (…) We have to do it now, because that will help keep the numbers low . (…) The masks are becoming more and more important as the crowds get bigger, we’ve always said that. If the virus is present, a store is guaranteed to become a hotbed. “- Unions are urging to mandate face masks in stores:” In the beginning, after the lockdown, everyone grabbed the face mask and tended to wear it anyway. Now it is asked by the store staff and you are almost laughed at. More and more we notice that the customer thinks the danger is over and that there is no longer a need for a mouth mask. ”- Virologist Peter Piot, who advises the European Commission on corona, in The Guardian:“ I don’t understand why it is not an official policy to require face masks, not only on public transport, but when you go to public places, closed places and shops and all that. (…) I wear a mask everywhere. For me, it’s to remind people that there is an epidemic. ”Survey by the University of Antwerp: The results show that more and more people would like to see oral mask use mandatory in certain situations. This figure has been rising since the beginning of June, especially for customers (from 61 to 77 percent) and staff (from 75 to 83 percent) in supermarkets. In other stores, too, more respondents are in favor of a mask for customers (from 55 to 70 percent) and for staff (from 67 to 76 percent), all this more than ten years after the ‘Belgian emergency plan for an influenza pandemic’ stated that “Masks play an important role in preventing the transmission of the virus,” as released in this section in early April, and what did the National Security Council decide, including the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers and Prime Ministers? Indeed: mouth masks are not mandatory in stores. She prefers to wait until the number of infections increases again. The members of the National Security Council who have decided this have a very great responsibility.
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