“No participation”
The proposal is not well received by Stefaan Sintobin of opposition party Vlaams Belang. He asks for an additional city council on the matter. “Alderman of finance Van Volcem, as a member of the majority, played a ‘loner’ a few days ago and launched in the media the proposal of a merger with Zuienkerke, purely for financial reasons,” says Stefaan Sintobin.
“At no point did she mention citizen participation in this decision. And yesterday at the city council of Bruges (the absent) ships got the wind from the front, not only from the opposition but also from the majority and not in the least of Mayor de Fauw. He mentioned disloyal behavior of the ships.”
“A person would think that Van Volcem ‘the day after’ and after the noise she had received at the city council would dim a bit from wherever she is, but no. On social media and especially on Twitter, Van Volcem remains defend its proposal of a merger with Zuienkerke with ‘passion’.”
Ask for extra city council
“I do not engage in backroom politics and want to conduct the debate publicly,” it apparently sounds reproachful to mayor de Fauw.
“Well, Mrs. Van Volcem, the Vlaams Belang also wants to conduct the debate, but first of all where the debate belongs, the city council. You were not there yesterday, but we would like to give you a second chance,” says Sintobin.
He therefore calls on the chairwoman of the city council, Annick Lambrecht, to organize an extra city council as soon as possible, with the only item on the agenda: ‘topical debate on possible mergers city of Bruges’.
“Of course in the presence of the entire college of aldermen. Waiting for the next city council is absolutely not desirable and is not in the interest of the residents of Bruges, Zuienkerke or other possible merger candidates. This must be clarified as soon as possible,” concludes Sintobin.