Jambon (N-VA) admits that he was shocked by Crevits (CD&V)’s fierce outburst during the nitrogen debate: “I didn’t see it coming” | Nitrogen file

Against all expectations, the Flemish government reached a nitrogen agreement on Friday. “Of course I would have preferred the case to be completed more quickly. But if you then conclude an agreement, much of the process of becoming has been forgotten. I am not a resentful man,” Jambon said in ‘De Zevende Dag’ on One on Sunday.

The discussion stalled on the unequal permit thresholds for agriculture and industry and the principle of external netting. That is the principle that allows part of the emission rights of a farmer who stops working to be transferred to other farmers. Those two bottlenecks, which CD&V kept insisting on, are now being put into a separate investigation (public inquiry and environmental impact report).

Two days later, there are still a lot of doubts and concerns within the agricultural sector. “Of course there is perspective,” emphasizes the Prime Minister. According to him, it is not just those two points that should provide that perspective. One of those things is investment support. “For young farmers up to the age of 45, two thirds of the investment will be paid by the taxpayer. That is half for older farmers,” it said.

LOOK ALSO. Hilde Crevits (CD&V) lashed out remarkably fiercely at N-VA and Open Vld in the nitrogen crisis: “An agreement will not work if you hit one party against the wall”

A few hours after the Flemish ministers presented their agreement to the press with relief, party chairmen Sammy Mahdi (CD&V) and Bart De Wever (N-VA) were already involved in the debates. The question arose whether so much has actually changed in the agreement compared to a week ago, when the government seemed to be on its last legs, and whether CD&V has managed to get something extra out of the fire.

“Each chairman plays his role and in such a complex file it is logical that there is consultation with the headquarters,” said Jambon, “but I sincerely believe that the agreement has been forged around the table,” said the Flemish head of government. He emphasizes that CD&V “absolutely was not sent away with a dead sparrow (…) We looked each other in the eye and said that we will do it this way.”

The Prime Minister admitted that he was shocked by the intervention of Deputy Prime Minister Hilde Crevits (CD&V) during the debate in the Flemish Parliament earlier this week. A sharp Crevits then stated that you cannot conclude an agreement if you slam one party against the wall – a response to an earlier speech by Jambon in the same parliament. “I was shocked by that. I didn’t see that coming,” said Jambon. “But despite the things that have been said and done, we were able to find the mode and deploy the final landing. It is the result that counts.”