Proposition 53K1838

Projet de loi portant sur la Résolution 612 intitulée "Augmentation sélective du capital social autorisé 2010 pour renforcer le droit de vote et la participation des pays en développement et en transition" et sur la Résolution 613 intitulée "Augmentation générale du capital 2010" du Conseil des Gouverneurs de la Banque internationale pour la Reconstruction et le Développement relatives à la souscription de la Belgique à l'augmentation sélective et générale du capital de la Banque internationale pour la Reconstruction et le Développement.

General information ¶

Submitted by

CD&V Leterme Ⅱ

Submission date

Oct. 24, 2011

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

financial aid international agreement development bank development aid

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

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

Abstained from voting

VB

Contact form ¶

Do you have a question or request regarding this proposition? Select the most appropriate option for your request and I will get back to you shortly.

Discussion ¶

Nov. 24, 2011 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

by Mr. Clarinval returns to his written report.

Mr. Speaker, dear colleagues, as you know, we have sought in vain, for several weeks, to put our hands on 11 billion savings. Every day that passes, the economic situation gets worse and our country is getting a little closer to the abyss. In recent days, the 10-year loan rate has risen steadily, reaching almost 5.5%. Our debt is greater than the European average.

The political crisis, undoubtedly, weakened our country in the face of the market. Our citizens feel the consequences of the current crisis on a daily basis. Belgians are increasingly struggling to finish the month. Its purchasing power has decreased. Employment, for employees, but also and especially for self-employed, is becoming increasingly rare.

And we, what do we do? We decide to allocate ⁇ 46 million euros to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. What is this bank for? It serves to reduce poverty in poor countries through loans or other services of the same type.

This is a measure that really interests our fellow citizens! This is a measure that will improve their quality of life! This new decision is, in my opinion, totally intolerable. In addition, on 13 October, just over a month ago, we already paid out 730 million euros for development aid. By adding the current 46 we are approaching the 800 million!

As you know, I refused to approve this payment of 730 million. You will then understand that I will not be able to support this project either. I think all this is simply inappropriate.

What is even more important is that the negotiators – if there are still – are constantly telling the people that they will have to make efforts and tighten their belts. It is good! Every day we hear about new taxes on the back of workers and self-employed, even as our leaders enjoy spending cheerfully money that is not theirs and that was created by the sweat of our taxpayers. This is totally unacceptable! We are witnessing here, dear colleagues, a total lack of respect for citizens.

Of course, they are never informed of these aid. The press is no longer there. These discussions are never discussed in the media. The public is never informed of this reality. I think it is time to show clearly what the state spends the money of our taxes on.

It is not normal for our leaders to play the card of external solidarity and generosity, even when one in seven Belgians live below the poverty line! In our country, one in six children experience poverty every day. What is done for them? Nothing is! Strictly nothing! They are simply asked to pay new taxes. That is enough! This injustice cannot last anymore.

I already hear some people call me racist, Nazi or I don’t know what else, but the debate is not there! We cannot continue to hide the mistakes of our government by accusing those who denounce them of the worst evils. Rejecting this proposal is not racism! It is just the will to serve the people I want to represent and who have trusted me, never ceasing to defend their interests as a priority. That’s just what I’m doing, Mrs. Burgeon.

Then, when you have stopped wasting the money of the Belgians, when you have made sure to improve their daily lives, when you have eradicated poverty in Belgium and that no more Belgians will sleep under a piece of cardboard in the middle of the street, then, yes, we will be able to play the card of generosity! Please admit that we are far away today. That’s why I’m quite proud, this afternoon, to reject this project that is actually a manifest theft of taxpayer money!

Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak because this is an important topic on which we have not been many to interact in committee. After the intervention of Mr. Louis, I am all the more pleased to have requested to take the floor today in plenary on this subject.

Mr. Louis, I am quite scandalized by the words you have made. I really think that it is the responsibility of every citizen, who has the chance to live in a country like Belgium which is a rich country despite everything – and we must be proud of it – to help the people who, on this earth, are even less well nantes, who are ⁇ bad nantes for economic, political, environmental or climate reasons.

In fact, this project allows Belgian citizens to be solidary and to participate in the development and reconstruction of countries in difficulty, developing countries or those who have experienced dramatic situations.

We will support this bill that aims to increase the participation of Member States in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. And I ask the Belgian government to encourage its representatives within this institution to demand that an increasingly important place be granted to developing countries within it.

As the minister recalled in the committee, there are states that lend or give money, and others that receive aid. It is normal for the first to have a look at the use that will be made of money. But it is also important that the beneficiary countries can participate in the reflection on how the money will be used, how it will be distributed and on the projects that will be supported as a priority.

A first step has been taken since it has allowed a better representation of developing countries in the International Bank, but this is not enough.

That said, among the countries considered as developing countries, some have financial means. We should not confuse countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, which are rich countries, and developing countries that lack the means to ensure the subsistence of their population.

We therefore support this project that increases the participation in the financing of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and concrete an improvement in the representation of developing countries, although we could still go further. In any case, in our opinion, Belgium could try to influence the negotiations that will take place on this subject.

Finally, Mr. Louis, know that under no circumstances can we share the analysis you have made of this project.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mrs. Gerkens for having already answered Mr. Speaker’s remarks. by Louis. We must remain conscious of what our intervention in the world represents to combat poverty and to allow populations, who are in totally deplorable situations, to access sometimes goods of primary necessity. For example, projects are being carried out to allow them access to water, education, health, everything that makes human development.

Then I would like to reassure Ms. Gerkens. Our representatives in the World Bank Development Committee and within relevant bodies advocate the increased participation of the poorest countries and developing countries in the Bank’s decisions. I pointed out in the commission that we are in the framework of a bank where representation also depends on the number of shares of the investment made. We will continue to advocate for greater involvement and participation of the poorest countries and developing countries.

Mr. Speaker, allow me to react as I was targeted by the speeches of Mrs. Gerkens and our Minister Reynders.

I would like my colleagues to have the courage to go down the streets to say this to the Belgians who are dying of hunger or who have difficulty getting warm, to those who are struggling to finish the month, to those who look at everything, who avoid spending money or who are unable to offer basic necessities to their children.

When one dares to speak this kind of words in parliament, one must have the courage to go down the streets and repeat them before the poor families who live below the poverty line. In this way, you will see what the Belgians you are supposed to represent really think, even though I no longer see a lot of people in this parliament that actually represents them. This is the big problem of our politics today in Belgium; we have a political class that is completely disconnected from reality. They do not understand what people are experiencing on a daily basis. This is the greatest evil that our country suffers. I sincerely ask you to become aware of this, to change your policy and, above all, to return to the essential: to take care of the population and its concerns in the first place.

As the chairman of this assembly, I cannot accept that people who sit here do not represent those who elected them. I’m sorry, but I can’t let it pass.

The [...]

This is your opinion, it is not mine.