N-VA tough on Brussels government: “Policy of incompetence and inaction”

The Vervoort III government is halfway through its term. The N-VA in Brussels has produced an interim report that speaks clear language: “The fossilised left-wing government is stuck in a tunnel vision that makes all much-needed reform impossible. Brussels is sinking further, but the Vivaldi government is standing by and looking at it,” say N-VA MPs Cieltje Van Achter, Gilles Verstraeten and Mathias Vanden Borre.

The three Brussels MPs take a look back at three years of hard work. “We submitted 546 questions and 37 legislative proposals,” says N-VA group chair Cieltje Van Achter. “We always try to be constructive, but just as often, we have to pinpoint the trouble spot.” This turns out to be necessary, as the N-VA is of the opinion that the political administration of the Brussels-Capital Region stands out in terms of incompetence and inaction.

Mistakes strung together in the approach to the coronavirus

The past two years have, of course, been dominated by the coronavirus. But Health Minister Maron also made several mistakes in a row with the pandemic, to such an extent that the N-VA even asked for his resignation. His colleague Elke Van den Brandt was simply nowhere to be seen. The low vaccination rate is also a direct consequence of responding too late to the diversity in our capital. “That has to do with the failing integration policy. As in Flanders, that should familiarise newcomers with our society. But in Brussels, we see many small ‘islands’ where there is much mistrust, and the government has no control over it,” Gilles Verstraeten says.

Staggering debt

It would also have been better if Finance and Budget Minister Sven Gatz had resigned, says the N-VA. “The Brussels debt grew faster than ever and now amounts to a staggering EUR 3.5 billion. Cieltje Van Achter: “Gatz wants to ‘solve’ that with tricks to pass the bill on to commuters and Flemish taxpayers. However, there is no question of crucial reforms and savings.” 

Swamp of serious crime

Brussels is also sinking further into the swamp of drugs and serious crime. The recent successes of Operation Sky by the police forces demonstrate this, but the Brussels government continues to deny the reality. “It even has some ‘Comical Ali’ content,” says Mathias Vanden Borre. “Vervoort continues to say that Brussels is a safe city, while the police talk of a hub of the Albanian mafia.”

Appalling poverty figures, increasing numbers of homeless people

The poverty figures also continue to be an appalling stain on the record. “38% of the inhabitants are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. One out of three Brussels residents is inactive. Among young people under 25, 25% do not have a job. What is the Vervoort government doing about it? It continues to rely on pointless subsidised employment. However, that is not what our companies are looking for. They want well-trained employees,” says Gilles Verstraeten, who also points out the increasing number of homeless people. “Over half of these cases are related to migration and illegality. Nevertheless, the Brussels government wants to build a new reception centre in Haren. That will only ensure that Brussels becomes even more of a hub for human trafficking than ever before, and the homeless issue will continue to grow.”

Green dogmas

As is also the case in the federal government, green dogmas are leaving their mark on Brussels’ climate and energy policy. “The ban on diesel fuel takes effect in 2030, but no one knows how it will work. The government has formalised its climate ordinance to such an extent that the Brussels climate policy will be determined by judges. Meanwhile, Brussels residents pay up to EUR 300 more for their electricity than residents in Flanders, while prices continue to rise and a much-needed liberalisation of the Brussels energy market is made impossible,” Cieltje Van Achter says.

Reversal necessary

The administration of the Brussels-Capital Region remains a tangle of islands and baronies. The much-needed institutional reforms are not forthcoming. “It is tinkering at the margins,” say the three MPs. “Far-reaching reforms, both regarding policy and institutional, are absolutely necessary to finally bringing about a turnaround. The current fossilised left-wing administration of the Brussels-Capital Region, led by the PS for three decades and headed by Rudi Vervoort for the third legislature in a row, is stuck in tunnel vision,” Cieltje Van Achter, Gilles Verstraeten and Mathias Vanden Borre conclude.