CD&V minister Van Peteghem is working hard on a new proposal for the planned tax reform. The federal government wants to reach an agreement on this before the summer. Van Peteghem presented his plans to the press some time ago, but they immediately collided with critical comments and discussion within their own majority.
Open VLD draws a clear red line through Deputy Prime Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne. According to the Flemish liberals, everyone agrees that the difference between working and not working should become greater. According to Van Quickenborne, a reform that would introduce a tax reduction for job seekers and people entitled to living wages is therefore “highly problematic”. “If one sticks to a tax reduction for living wages and the unemployed, then there will be no tax reform for us,” the Open VLD minister stated strongly in the VTM studio.
Mail
Van Quickenborne also returned to the discussion about his Green colleague Petra De Sutter. She has been under fire all week because two employees of her cabinet are paid by Bpost and there is a risk of a conflict of interest.
According to Van Quickenborne, De Sutter is “a capable and honest lady” who has been instructed to “clean out the stable”. But according to Van Quickenborne, the whole discussion about Bpost employees proves the existence of an “unhealthy situation” of a government that is simultaneously a shareholder in a company and at the same time has to carry out controls. “The result is a conflict of interest,” says Van Quickenborne. He also refers to a similar situation at Proximus. “Sooner or later, and in our opinion sooner rather than later, the government has to pull out of those companies.”
In De Zevende Dag, Groen co-chair Nadia Naji stood up for her party colleague. Naji retains full confidence in De Sutter and she is also convinced that her deputy prime minister in the federal government will survive the storm. “Petra will survive this and provide transparent answers in parliament on Thursday,” Naji said.
