–
In order to boost the Belgian investment council, the seven Vivaldi parties have jointly submitted 43 projects worth 3.3 billion to Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD). It is expected that 1 billion will remain.
–
While the budget is still blood red colors after two years of the corona crisis, socialists and greens demand that an extra effort be made in the coming years to make the climate transition and not to miss the train of digitization. The recovery plan of almost 6 billion, which is financed with European funds, is not sufficient to boost the public investment rate to 3.5% of GDP by 2024, as committed by the Vivaldi parties in the coalition agreement. According to PS Secretary of State Thomas Dermine, this will require an additional investment wave of between 1.5 and 2 billion over the next 3 years.
–
‘We want to help Wallonia, but within the existing rules. Just giving 600 million is not correct towards Flanders.’
Egbert Lachaert
President Open VLD
–
–
–
CD&V and the liberal parties are much less inclined to dig so deep into their pockets and would rather proceed with budget restructuring, including through reforms in the labor market and taxation. De Croo wants to combine investments and reforms through a restart and transition plan. But first and foremost it will be a solid round of weeding. All government parties have put together 43 projects worth 3.3 billion euros.
–
From isolation to cybersecurity
The French-speaking parties are the biggest slobbers. For example, State Secretary for Buildings Agency Mathieu Michel (MR) is requesting 700 million euros for the energetic renovation of government buildings. PS minister Ludivine Dedonder wants to do the same with the Defense buildings for 500 million euros. And Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) hopes to invest more than 700 million euros in expanding freight transport by rail, the accessibility of train stations and the Brussels-Luxembourg axis.
–
Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten (Green) wants to continue to focus on expanding a hydrogen network, offshore wind energy and cleantech (75 million). Minister of Justice and Noordee Vincent Van Quickenborne has 150 million projects in mind for desalination and aquaculture and wants to invest more than 300 million in detention houses for short sentences. Again Dedonder wants to invest 100 million in cybersecurity. Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) has submitted approximately 130 million worth of projects related to the digitization of social security, a virus bank and therapeutic help for young people. Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) wants to invest 150 million in the digitization of the police (i-Police). Her CD&V colleague Vincent Van Peteghem is asking 53 million for the digitization of customs and 11 million for cybersecurity from Finance.
–
Reconstruction of Wallonia
In addition to these investment projects, there are also requests from, for example, Tinne Van der Straeten to extend the temporary extension of the social tariff for gas and electricity, which costs 200 million. In addition, the PS is requesting a federal investment of 600 million euros in the reconstruction of Wallonia. On VTM Nieuws, Open VLD chairman Egbert Lachaert made it clear that his party does not think this is a good idea. “We want to help Wallonia, but within the rules,” said the liberal, who pointed to the VAT reduction for reconstruction and loan guarantees. ‘Just handing out 600 million is not correct towards Flanders.’
–
–
