The Flemish government again failed to reach an agreement on Monday evening on Flemish energy support, the drinking water plan and the budget adjustment. According to the office of Prime Minister Matthias Diependaele (N-VA), “constructive work has continued, but the positions were too far apart to be able to land tonight.”
Source: Belga
The Council of Ministers will consider the files again next Monday.
The Diependaele government examined three dossiers on Monday evening on which no agreement could be reached last Friday. For example, there is the file of Flemish energy support.
Like the federal government, the Flemish government has been discussing for some time what measures can be taken to alleviate the energy crisis. Last week, the federal government reached a (difficult) agreement on 80 million euros in measures. The issue is also difficult at Flemish level.
Minister of Energy Hans Bonte (Vooruit) has already spoken several times about a ‘contingency plan’, but N-VA has been urging caution for some time and wants to avoid “panic football”. Another factor is that the N-VA absolutely wants to monitor the path towards the promised budget balance in 2027. With a view to this objective, the party tries to avoid additional expenditure as much as possible, although the Socialists are convinced that the proposed measures would not burden the budget.
Even though the various files are linked, the consultation on Monday evening was reportedly mainly focused on the drinking water plan of Minister of the Environment Jo Brouns (CD&V). Vooruit in particular would have dug in its heels about this. The party itself only says that it is “fighting for clean and healthy drinking water”. The drinking water plan must, among other things, provide an answer to drinking water pollution in West Flanders. The draft plan had previously come under fire because it would open the door to a longer temporary increase in the standard.
In the coming days, further consultations will take place between the cabinets on the three files and the Council of Ministers will consider them again next Monday. Then the intention would be to meet from the afternoon.
