Bart De Wever on Brussels’ plea for aid: “Brussels’ mismanagement is a national embarrassment”

Prime Minister Bart De Wever delivered a sharp rebuke in Villa Politica in response to a letter the caretaker Brussels government sent to European institutions, requesting financial support for additional works at Schuman Square. He also addressed the federal budget situation and was outspoken about rising NATO spending. “We’re already doing a lot, but we’ll need to go even further in terms of reforms and measures,” he said.

“Brussels has made us a laughingstock”

According to Bart De Wever, things have hit rock bottom: the caretaker Brussels government begged European institutions for help with infrastructure works at Schuman Square. “They didn’t just contact the Commission – they also reached out to the European Council, the High Representative, the Committee of the Regions… basically, everyone,” he said. “They’ve made us look ridiculous, saying: ‘Public works in Brussels? We can’t pay for that anymore. Could you please spare a few coins?’”

The Prime Minister immediately contacted Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa to contain the damage. “Our country – Brussels – hosts the world’s largest diplomatic presence. We’re home to numerous institutions. And now, all of them know: Brussels is a failed state. This is no laughing matter.”

“I’ll be their IMF”

So who will foot the bill for Schuman Square? The federal government? Bart De Wever isn’t ruling it out—but the conditions are crystal clear. “If Brussels is a failed state, then I’ll be their IMF The International Monetary Fund (IMF), established in 1945, focuses on monetary issues. The global organisation is governed by and accountable to the 188 member countries. In addition to financial stability, monetary cooperation and international trade, the IMF promotes and supports employment, sustainable economic growth and combating poverty. In this regard, it provides loans, technical assistance, specialised training courses and advice to governments. It also monitors financial trends. IMF . I’m willing to help, but there will be strings attached. Brussels must clean up its finances. And it must address its security issues.”

Federal budget: “We’re doing a lot, but not enough”

De Wever admitted the federal budget is also deep in the red. The Planning Bureau predicts a 6.2 percent deficit by 2029. According to the Prime Minister, current reforms won’t cut it.

“We’re already taking many measures under the coalition agreement, but it wasn’t enough to begin with. Now we’ve got nearly an extra percent added on due to this tariff war. And huge defense expenditures. So yes, we’re in deep, deep, deep trouble. This government will have to revisit every budget and every review.”

Still, he sees a glimmer of hope: “The good news is the primary balance is stabilizing. So the measures we’ve taken are having an impact—and they’re being viewed positively in terms of Competitiveness The extent to which companies in one country can compete with similar companies in another country. A law came into force in Belgium in 1996 to monitor competitiveness. This stipulates that Belgian salaries may not evolve faster than the average of those in the three neighbouring countries. The Central Economic Council (CEC) performs an annual measurement to see if the objectives have been obtained. competitiveness and purchasing power.”

“We need to get as close as possible to that three percent mark. I’ve always said that reaching it in five years isn’t realistic. It’ll take ten. But… every time I open the paper, more problems pop up.”

NATO target: “Even two percent is a stretch”

NATO expects each member state to spend at least two percent of GDP The gross domestic product (GDP) is the total monetary value of all goods and services produced within a country, both by companies and the government. This term is usually used as a benchmark for a country’s prosperity. This is why the N-VA closely follows the evolution of the Belgian GDP. GDP on defense. During this month’s NATO summit in The Hague, additional commitments are likely to be requested.

“My hope is that two percent—which is already a major challenge—will be enough for this term. And that we can delay further build-up a bit. But I’m not sure we’ll get away with that in The Hague.”

“We’ll definitely have allies at the table. But our biggest challenge isn’t Mr. Trump. It’s the internal gap within Europe when it comes to defense spending. That, in my view, is unsustainable,” Bart De Wever concluded.