“Future generations will bear the consequences of Brussels policy for a long time to come”

“Future governments and generations will bear the consequences of the Vervoort III government for a long time to come,” says Brussels N-VA group chair Cieltje Van Achter in response to the budget agreement that the Brussels government reached. This “agreement” is pushing the Brussels government into the red by almost EUR 1 billion this year. “Vervoort III is hurtling blindly into the abyss,” says Cieltje.

“No previous Brussels minister ever built up so much debt,” Cieltje says about budget minister Gatz. “Counter to the coalition agreement, promises and principles, Sven Gatz is pushing the Brussels government almost EUR 1 billion into the red this year.”

Debt tripled

“The Vervoort III government considered the budget a minor issue from the start. The coalition agreement was negotiated without a budget. The policy was decided; its financing was a concern for later. The only promise Sven Gatz made was that the budget would be balanced in 2024. Meanwhile, the debt has tripled and Brussels is heading for a debt-to-income ratio of 300%. That is what the University of Namur claims,” says Cieltje.

Don’t be fooled

“Don’t be fooled, though: it has nothing to do with Covid, Ukraine or ‘strategic investments’. It was a structural choice by this government to incur debt. The consequences are left to future governments, and thus future generations,” Cieltje Van Achter concludes.