There has been a stir in Belgian politics after sensitive WhatsApp messages from Alexander De Croo’s cabinet were leaked. From this, according to the Belgian opinion magazine Skills it turns out that De Croo has not told the truth about next year’s revised budget. According to political parties Vlaams Belang and N-VA, the government’s resignation is ‘inevitable’.
Ann DeNil, Igor Bulcke
‘So it’s fine with us’ and ‘thanks for the adjustments!’ read in a series of messages on the budget between the De Croo cabinet on one side and the then Secretary of State Eva De Bleeker on the other. The messages were sent on Wednesday evening 9 November.
This communication shows that the cabinet and the prime minister did indeed agree on De Bleeker’s budget presented on 10 November, according to Skills. Not long after, the same budget is the reason for the dismissal of the secretary of state, because De Croo disagrees with what is stated in the text and in the tables.
The prime minister has so far denied that his cabinet had approved that version of the budget.
Bee VTM news the prime minister already insisted on Dec. 4 that the budget had not been approved via WhatsApp. “We said very clearly through the appropriate channels: ‘this is not correct’. Those messages that people talk about, I think are about an answer to another question,” he said.
The ok in WhatsApp messages does not refer to VAT and excise duties at all. Nor on the entire budget
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s cabinet is now responding once again that the reports have nothing to do with an approval of the budget. “The okay in Whatsapp messages does not refer to VAT and excise duties at all. Nor on the entire budget. Which refers to measures related to social security and pharma ”, he plays.
According to the cabinet, an incorrect conclusion is drawn from the informal conversation on WhatsApp. “Only the official comments in the reading committee count. A budget minister should get to work with that, not WhatsApp messages. There are Whatsapps. We have never denied it, not even in parliament. But we reiterate that an agreement on a budget has not been given on WhatsApp”.
De Croo not present in parliament
The opposition party N-VA wants to immediately ask the prime minister in committee to explain the trafficking of WhatsApp. Group chairman Peter De Roover reacts annoyed: ,, When the prime minister speaks, we take it for granted that he is telling the truth. Now it seems that his claims about the preparation of the budget are not true. This is unacceptable in a democracy. To clarify this, this afternoon we are taking the Prime Minister to the Finance Commission”.
Vlaams Belang and PVDA joined the N-VA’s request. However, Prime Minister De Croo will not come to parliament. The president of the Commission Marie-Christine Marghem did not respond to the request of the opposition parties and several majority parties also wanted to stick to the agenda. Secretary of State for the Budget Alexia Bertrand was there to answer questions and defend her prime minister. “I’ve seen a whole series of WhatsApp messages, but I can’t read a definitive answer, and certainly not on VAT”.
Vlaams Belang will nevertheless present a motion of no confidence against the prime minister. De Croo can no longer serve as prime minister for Vlaams Belang, according to a statement on their website.
Inevitable dismissal
N-VA also expresses its dissatisfaction with the state of affairs on social media. “What does Vivaldi do? Making fun of himself by letting De Croo flee parliament like a frightened hare. There is no lower limit here,” De Roover tweeted. According to the party leader, the government can no longer function like this. “The fact that it doesn’t come shows that it has no explanation and therefore the dismissal is inevitable,” he says.
Open Vld, the premier’s party, meanwhile tries to defend De Croo. According to the Liberal Party, the coverage of Skills not serious’. “A budget that is created through WhatsApp? Let’s be serious. That’s not how you work. The ok didn’t even refer to the budget, but to the social security adjustment. Knack, this could be better,” party chairman Egbert Lachaert tweeted.
Jong VLD sees it differently and also demands the presence of the prime minister in parliament. “We demand that Alexander De Croo inform the parliament and the board of the Open VLD party correctly and transparently,” the young liberals tweeted. “One thing is already clear: the budget work in our country has been a mess for years. Future generations deserve better.”
Peter De Rover
@PeterDeRoover1
Egbert Lachaert
@egbertlachaert
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