According to the news channel, the government rejected on November 9 a point proposed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib (MR): the export of equipment for nuclear use, manufactured in Flanders and intended for the British army. According to LN24, an anonymous source points the finger at environmentalists who would have opposed authorizing this delivery and warns of the consequences of a refusal which might affect orders placed with the FN, a Walloon company.
The Vice-Premier Ecolo refused to comment on the information because the subject is classified as a “secret defense” and intends that it be treated as such. On the other hand, he attacks the -unknown- author of the media leak. “Whoever put the file in the public square, moreover with partial and biased information, is irresponsible. It is of the order of serious misconduct,” he told the agency. Belgium.
The outrage expressed by Mr. Gilkinet was shared by other government sources. He also said that the proposal made by Mrs. Lahbib (MR) was “illegal” and too broad because it did not only concern Great Britain. The minister would therefore have been asked to reformulate her proposal before the other components of the government took action.
In the majority, only the president of the MR, Georges-Louis Bouchez, reacted. In the morning, he called on environmentalists to “rediscover a sense of responsibility and of the state”. “Refusing the sale of equipment to Great Britain is the greatest dogmatic nonsense. It is not acceptable to continue to ridicule Belgium. Pull yourself together!”, He launched on Twitter.
In opposition, MP Theo Francken (N-VA) also attacked Ecolo on Twitter for blocking the delivery of nuclear material to an ally like the United Kingdom, which is also an important trading partner. “for Flanders and for Belgium”.