2023-10-10 11:11:00
“On behalf of the government, I want to offer my condolences to the families of the victims in Israel,” began Alexander De Croo. “The horror we have seen demonstrates unacceptable barbarity. This extreme violence, blind and cowardly, abruptly closes the way to any prospect of peace and security in the region. Violence will never be the solution. So that it is lasting, the solution must always be political and diplomatic.”
“The most pessimistic already saw our country sinking into poverty”
The Prime Minister – who wore the same tie as when he took office – then returned to the context in which Vivaldi was born: “Three years ago, in the midst of a health crisis, you placed your trust in a team The pandemic was claiming new victims every day and paralyzing our life in society.” He recalled that many jobs were in the balance. “The most pessimists already saw our country sinking into poverty. But that was not the case,” said the Flemish liberal. “We did not remain victims of events. We took matters into our own hands. Our country emerged stronger. We bounced back. Our public finances are improving. They are progressing step by step in the right direction with our sights set on the Maastricht standard. We are going to make an effort of almost 5 billion euros in 2024. We are keeping our promises.”
“Today the number of workers in Belgium has never been so high. 5 million Belgians now have a job. Without these working citizens, we would never be able to ensure the financing of our social security. The government did not seek money from the pockets of the middle class,” continued the Prime Minister. “Budget miracles do not exist.” When discussing flexi-jobs – which are part of the measures adopted by Vivaldi -, the president of the PTB Raoul Hedebouw challenged the Prime Minister in the middle of a speech, an extremely rare occurrence.
“Our country is doing better than the euro zone”
Protecting citizens and businesses in times of crisis has cost more than 20 billion, according to Alexander De Croo. “The volume of aid was gigantic. So yes, the path to balance is longer. But we left no one behind. It was a conscious and assumed choice. There was simply no no other option. (…) Despite all the crises we have gone through, the prosperity of Belgians has increased by 3.8% since the arrival of this government. Our country is doing better than the euro zone. Better than our German and French neighbors. Even in the last two quarters, we have seen a downturn in the economy in the Netherlands and Germany, while our country continues to grow.”
The Flemish liberal continued by emphasizing that his government had made it possible to protect the Belgians’ wallets and “avoid social bloodshed”.
Continuing the list of his government’s successes, Alexander De Croo cited the prison sentences which were now served in full. The Prime Minister’s words sparked hilarity in the ranks of the opposition and, more precisely, on the Flemish side.
In terms of solidarity, the Prime Minister estimated that Belgium was “doing more than its share”. “With 34,000 reception places, Belgium is already reaching its limits,” he said. “We are financing 1,500 beds in Brussels homeless reception centers, for people who cannot find a place in the reception network. And of course, priority must go to the most vulnerable. Everyone must be able to spend the night in a bed. But winter is upon us and we know what awaits us. That’s why we brought all the partners around the table to see what more we can do. In the barracks , railway buildings or empty homes, we will still create additional places.”
He briefly discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Ukraine will be liberated, but for this it must dominate the airspace. Our country will contribute to this by participating in the F-16 coalition,” added Mr. De Croo.
“Brussels must be our showcase”
The Prime Minister turned to the problems of insecurity which have made headlines in recent months. “Brussels is a New York on a human scale. A city-region of 184 nationalities. It is our showcase and makes our cultural wealth and our international influence. But when it comes to security, we point out too often the other finger. The problems around Brussels-South have lasted for too long. Instead of looking for a scapegoat, we must find solutions.”
Finally, Alexander De Croo addressed the recent tensions surrounding the EVRAS issue. “We were all shocked to see the attacks that targeted schools. Anti-democrats are distorting reality and spreading lies to the detriment of the safety of our children. This is why the Security Council will decide on a set of measures to fight once morest disinformation,” he concluded.
Alexander De Croo’s speech might be followed live on our site or on LN24.
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