Open VLD president Egbert Lachaert warns the Flemish government that it must take steps to support companies struggling with high energy bills.
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In an interview with Radio 1, Lachaert said he did not understand that the Flemish government is delaying measures to support industry and companies. Open VLD itself is also part of that government.
«I look at it with misunderstanding, even at Mr. De Wever’s party (N-VA, ed) because they too get the signal that companies can no longer rely on them. I’m in big trouble. While the Flemish government has between 500 million and 1 billion euros in extra revenue thanks to inflation. ‘
It’s impossible to keep track of that money, says Lachaert. Businesses need help. CD & V supports this too, he knows it. “We cannot let our economic fabric catch up.”
Lachaert calls on the Flemish government to take temporary measures to help companies during the winter. If no agreement is reached, then there is a problem in the Flemish government, he has threatened.
In the interview, Lachaert explicitly looked at N-VA multiple times. This is not immediately surprising. As is known, the water between Open VLD and N-VA has been very deep since the establishment of the federal government without N-VA.
In this discussion, N-VA is holding back to spend money again and wants to keep budget orthodoxy. For next year, the Flemish budget points to a deficit of 450 million euros. Compared to previous multi-year estimates, this is much more favorable, but N-VA doesn’t want to suddenly spend that “freed up” budget. After all, the numbers remain red. By 2024, the deficit would be 350 million with unchanged policies.
“We are not asking to kill the budget,” Lachaert said in an interview with the Belgian news agency. “We are only asking that measures be taken now, for one winter, worth between 500 million and 1 billion euros. So we can work towards a balanced budget again in 2027. Don’t forget that the federal government has had to help families with much worse accounting. ‘ According to the liberal, the N-VA is too focused on making a difference with the large federal deficit. “But people aren’t aware of it at the moment,” says Lachaert.
In recent days, the top of the Flemish government has already met several times on this dossier. But the decisions have not yet been made. It is possible that everything will meet in the Council of Ministers on September 23, when the budget is drawn up. The September statement by Prime Minister Jan Jambon follows soon after, also the start of the parliamentary year.
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