Proposition 53K1748

Projet de loi relatif à la contribution de la Belgique à la seizième reconstitution des ressources de l'Association internationale de Développement.

General information ¶

Submitted by

CD&V Leterme Ⅱ

Submission date

Sept. 20, 2011

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

International Development Association development aid

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

Groen CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP Open Vld N-VA LDD MR

Abstained from voting

VB

Party dissidents ¶

• Koenraad Degroote (N-VA) abstained from voting.
• Reinilde Van Moer (N-VA) abstained from voting.
• Kristien Van Vaerenbergh (N-VA) abstained from voting.

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

Oct. 13, 2011 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

Mr. Speaker, I will make a smile on your face by referring to the written report.

Which makes me very pleased.

Solidarity with the poorest countries is an obligation for all developed countries. However, this generosity implies an even greater obligation, that of managing the country responsibly by ensuring that all our compatriots lack nothing. In this regard, it can be said that our country does not assume its responsibilities. Of course, I know that what I am going to tell you will ⁇ not please you, but I must do it and follow my conscience.

So, just a few days after increasing our country’s debt by nationalizing Dexia for about four billion euros, we are preparing to pay more than 730 million euros to the International Development Association, whose mission is to help the poorest countries.

Meanwhile, while the current business government is wasting taxpayer money, wasting crazy sums in Libya, multiplying aid to poor countries, and saving speculators from bankruptcy, many compatriots are experiencing ⁇ difficult months. Some of them, Mr. Clerfayt, even sleep on the street for lack of home!

Where is this?

Ah! to Maybe not in Schaerbeek. In this case, we should get a little out of Schaerbeek.

At this level, this situation exists. It is a pity! This is because the city is not very well managed either!

Even though the fasts of this assembly are ⁇ important, imposing, I still cannot believe that you are deaf and blind to the living conditions of our fellow citizens. Don’t tell me that I’m the only one here to live in reality, to meet with citizens who have to choose between a hot meal at noon or a hot meal at night, people who have to tighten their belt to allow their children to eat to their hunger!

Do not tell me that you do not know Belgian citizens, honest, working, respectable, who must make a choice between going to the dentist or the doctor or buying what to dress or shoe their children properly!

Nevertheless, I must not be the only one who knows older people, who have worked all their lives and who find themselves today in the most complete precariousness, abandoned by their families and public authorities.

Nevertheless, you must not be indifferent to the fate of these young people who live below the poverty line, because they cannot find work despite having a university degree.

When I see all this poverty on our territory, when I see that the Belgian SDF are often less helped than the paperless, less helped than the Roma or the fake asylum seekers who sometimes receive 500 euros a day to live in our country, I say to myself that our solidarity system is completely vicious. It no longer benefits those who really need it, it does not in any way favor our compatriots.

The question I ask myself is: how long will we still accept this situation without reacting?

You will understand that before playing the card of solidarity with the poor countries, it is necessary to ensure that all our fellow citizens can live in good conditions. Thus, when our fellow citizens no longer know misery, when they no longer live in poverty, we can then resolutely play the card of solidarity with the poorest countries. To be honest, we are not here today.

Unfortunately, our generosity is currently on the back of Belgian taxpayers to the point of being indecent. Our government always gives priority to helping poor countries. Despite the crisis, these subsidies do not decrease.

Thus, since its founding, the International Development Association, which we are proposed to assist in this bill by paying more than 730 million euros, has already granted in the past interest-free credits and donations for a total amount amounting to $222 billion. In recent years, the average annual amount of distributed amounts amounts to about $13 billion.

I listen to you carefully and I am a little shocked. There are 1.3 billion family fathers who live on one euro per day; this is the premium we pay per capita of livestock in Europe. So be silent!

This reaction does not surprise me. Thousands of Belgians also live in poverty: they don’t have your life train, Mr. De Croo! This is the reality. You are all here with a large salary and you have no difficulties. I too, but you don’t know what I’m doing with that money. and laughing)

I prefer not to know! Continue to continue!

It would be better if you were uncomfortable.

These donations you support are destined largely to African countries where – we all know it – money is often diverted to serve the interests of the power in place and to enrich governments at the balance of the so-called developed countries, the population often has to settle with only pieces.

Regularly visiting the African circles in Belgium, I can afford to say that, since they are the first to recognize this situation. I blame you, ladies and gentlemen ministers, for constantly asking our fellow citizens to tighten their belts, to provide efforts, while you do not do the necessary things to improve their daily lives. Thus, every time, Belgian taxpayers are the dick of the farce of your decisions and your budgetary restrictions. All this is not logical. Worse, it is completely unfair.

Why would it not be the turn of development aid to be subject to restrictions, instead of the portfolio of our taxpayers? Thus, in this period of economic crisis, aggravated by the political crisis of which you are responsible and of which our fellow citizens will - once again - unjustly pay the salt note, I consider, as a simple representative of the citizens, that our generosity must first benefit primarily the Belgians, our fellow citizens.

In this period when money becomes scarce, it is time to opt for a certain nationalism, coupled with European protectionism. Even though we must support our European compatriots who are experiencing serious financial difficulties, we must put an end to spending that is not of interest to our fellow citizens and put the various development aid between them. For before we want to take care of all the misery in the world, especially when it comes to giving ourselves a good conscience, it might be time to take care primarily of our compatriots who live in poverty. When they have seen their existence improve significantly, we will then be able to play resolutely the card of natural solidarity, but not before!

Given our economic situation, approving such an operation seems to me to be totally inappropriate. That is why I will vote against the two bills that are submitted to us today.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out, as everyone thinks here, that this speech is nauseous and unacceptable. It reminds us of sad moments in the political history of Europe.

Mr. Louis, it is important that you understand that we must not fight poverty here without fighting poverty in the world. The prosperity of our country, which is a major exporter, also depends on the prosperity of the rest of the world. We must be able to secure our jobs and the purchasing power of our workers.

I would like to invite Mr. Clerfayt dare to go down the street and say this to all the Belgians who have difficult ends of months or who live in misery.