As concern mounts in Belgium regarding the energy crisis, the Consultation committee organized last week left many Belgians doubtful. The Prime Minister’s announcements at the end of the meeting did not reassure the population. This is why LN24 gave you the opportunity to ask all your questions to Alexander De Croo. The Flemish Liberal respondedduring a special program “SOS All Together once morest the Crisis”broadcast this Tuesday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. (on television and on the IPM media websites – La Libre, La DH, L’Avenir, Moustique, Paris Match…).
Among the many questions addressed to the Prime Minister was the question of the extension of nuclear power stations as a solution to the energy crisis. “Belgium has changed its position and decided to extend the two most recent nuclear power plants. It is good that we have done this. Other countries have not taken the plunge. I hope that Germany will also change position”, began Alexander De Croo, at the microphone of Martin Buxant. “(…) We have to be careful not to reduce the problem of energy in Europe to a few Belgian nuclear power stations. It is an element of discussion, but it is not THE solution. What is more, we are talking regarding nuclear power plants, not lemonade factories. Extending a nuclear power plant is a decision that must be made five years earlier. What the previous government, of which I was a member I admit, did not not done. So we will first extend the two plants we talked regarding, but everything remains on the table. Nothing is ruled out.”
“There is no magic solution”
Another subject that worries Belgians: rising energy bills. “We must be clear, it is not tenable,” admitted the Flemish liberal. “Even people who have savings see their savings evaporate, when they would have liked to devote them to other things.” The Prime Minister reaffirmed his belief that the solution would come from European intervention. “However, we are not going to wait for this solution”, he continued, before listing what is already in place to help the Belgians. “First, there is the social tariff which gives a huge advantage. 20% of the population currently uses it. Then the banks are ready to help, especially with mortgages. (…) Finally, the government is studying the possibility of taking additional measures for people who miss the social tariff and who encounter problems. To be clear, I will not accept that someone is in a situation where they cannot pay their bill and finds itself in the cold or in the dark this winter. We will take measures to intervene and help the people who need it. (…) With the bills reaching such high levels, we will have to go further. “
Asked regarding a potential replacement of the Minister of Energy Tinne Van der Straeten by “a technician who might offer realistic and effective solutions”, Alexander De Croo insisted on putting the dots on the i. “There is no magic solution. We see it in all European countries. We must also stop this personalization of the discussion. We have an Energy Minister who knows her files very well, who does her best. Whoever has the magic solution to this global problem, let him come and explain it to us! In no European country do I see a magic solution. Thanks to past investments, Belgium is in a much less vulnerable than other countries,” he concluded.
The entire sequence can be found above.
