Discontent within Flemish government coalition over allegations in subsidy cases
For several days now, there has been discontent among the partners in the Flemish government coalition due to allegations in subsidy cases. The focus is on two cases: one relates to education and N-VA minister Zuhal Demir, the other to agriculture and CD&V minister Jo Brouns. The dispute is on the agenda of Friday's Council of Ministers meeting.
The dispute’s origin dates back to before the Christmas holidays. Education minister Zuhal Demir then awarded a contract worth 8.25 million euros to an education expertise centre affiliated with Thomas More University College through a confidential tendering procedure. The task: to prepare the launch of the new “minimum objectives” in Flemish education, which determine what pupils must have learned during their school years. This is to be done by closely supervising a number of schools that are to serve as a source of inspiration for other schools.
The decision is controversial because a public procedure had initially been launched to allocate the funds, but that procedure was ultimately halted by the minister. The way in which the case was handled was labelled “not good policy” by the Finance Inspectorate. However, the allocation of the subsidies to Thomas More was approved by the government, Demir underlined.
The education minister was thus unhappy that the Christian Democratsof CD&V and Socialists of Vooruit, who are part of the same government, joined in the criticism. When the opposition demanded hearings on the allocation of these subsidies, CD&V and Vooruit abstained from voting on Thursday, allowing the opposition to force the organisation of these hearings.
N-VA MP Andy Pieters then announced on Friday that he would question agriculture minister Jo Brouns of CD&V about a subsidy of 5 million euros, which was granted before the Christmas holidays to a consortium around the non-profit organisation Boerenbond Projecten vzw. A former CD&V cabinet member is said to have become a director of the non-profit shortly before the subsidy was granted. According to Pieters, this information was not communicated transparently to the entire majority.
Both cases were discussed indirectly at the Council of Ministers on Friday. The CD&V is not enthusiastic about Andy Pieters' move and pointed out that the subsidy in question received a positive recommendation from N-VA finance minister Ben Weyts. The fact that a former cabinet member is taking up a position elsewhere in the sector is also hardly remarkable, according to the CD&V.
“As far as I am concerned, there is no crisis in the Flemish government"
“As far as I am concerned, there is no crisis in the Flemish government,” Demir assured on social media. “It's just that some people feel compelled to attack decisions that have been collegially approved,” she added, before accusing Vooruit of having an “image problem”. Minister president Matthias Diependaele called for reasonableness and a proper and honest discussion.
#FlandersNewsService | Flemish Minister for Education and Work Zuhal Demir © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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