Projet de loi contenant le huitième ajustement du Budget général des dépenses de l'année budgétaire 1999.
General information ¶
- Submitted by
- Groen Open Vld Vooruit PS | SP Ecolo MR Verhofstadt Ⅰ
- Submission date
- Nov. 26, 1999
- Official page
- Visit
- Status
- Adopted
- Requirement
- Simple
- Subjects
- budget national budget
Voting ¶
- Voted to adopt
- Groen Ecolo PS | SP Open Vld MR
- Voted to reject
- N-VA VB
- Abstained from voting
- CD&V LE FN
Party dissidents ¶
- Alfons Borginon (Open Vld) voted to reject.
- Richard Fournaux (MR) abstained from voting.
- Karel Pinxten (Open Vld) abstained from voting.
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Discussion ¶
Dec. 16, 1999 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)
Full source
Rapporteur Jef Tavernier ⚙
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Minister, colleagues, here follows a brief oral report on the bill concerning the eighth adjustment of the general expenditure budget for the 1999 fiscal year. The eighth adjustment is carried out due to the rearrangement of a number of appropriations. First and foremost, a number of credits needed to be raised for the services of the Prime Minister, namely 20 million for the organizational structure and for the Working Group Personnel Policy and 41 million for the development and security of the federal intranet, called Fedenet. The internal affairs budget appropriations also needed to be raised, mainly as part of an improved asylum policy. In a special cell for Foreign Policy, three people will be employed for six months. More funding is needed for additional personnel that will have to overcome the lag in the asylum dossiers. The preparation and installation of the regionalization committee costs 25 million. In addition, an additional credit of 39 million francs is needed from the budget for Home Affairs to finance additional expenses for the wedding of Prince Philip, in particular for all kinds of extra muros ceremonies. Also in Foreign Affairs an additional credit should be provided as a result of the evolution and the rise of the dollar price. Finance calls for a reduction of the credits due to the inability to use the credits set forth for the crisis in Kosovo. In the budget of Employment and Labour, additional funds are urgently needed for the implementation of equal opportunities policies. The previous government has exhausted all appropriations for this purpose. In Social Affairs, additional funds should be reserved for the reception of refugees. Mr Daems needs strategic-financial and legal advice in the context of his plans to modernise public companies. This represents an additional expenditure of approximately 25 million francs. At the very last moment, the government submitted an amendment to the eighth annex. This amendment frees up 17 million francs for the purchase of 300 000 aircraft intended for the conversion of Belgian franc to the euro. Due to a lot of late payments, the credits allocated for this purpose were exhausted. The proposals of the government were the subject of discussion in the Finance Committee. All commissioners were fully aware of the scope of the discussion. Mr. Borginon discovered a strange symbolism he thought, on the one hand, the increase of the credits on Home Affairs for the prince’s marriage and, on the other hand, the reduction of the credits for aid to Kosovo. Minister Vande Lanotte replied that there was no dirt in the air. Our efforts in Kosovo are not reduced, but we have found that the possibility of meaningfully spending more money in Kosovo as part of European programmes was inexistent. This resulted in excessive credit. It was therefore reduced while, in accordance with a government decision, the credits for the prince's marriage were increased. Mr Leterme asked questions about the administrative simplification service, in particular concerning the relationship between the services of Government Commissioner André and the minister concerned. Another question concerned the payment of the experts involved in the modernisation and privatization projects of Minister Daems. The Minister stated that the Minister of Public Affairs bears the final responsibility for the dossiers on Public Affairs and administrative simplification. Together with Mrs. André, the Minister concerned will submit a policy note. He also confirmed that the Department of Budget will monitor the payment of the experts so that the Minister of Infrastructure cannot make expenses at his own discretion. The bill on the eighth adjustment of the General Expenditure Budget for the 1999 fiscal year was approved by 9 votes in favour and 2 against.