Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has warned that everyone will feel the impact of the Federal Government’s planned budget cuts, as it seeks to save about €10 billion by 2029.
Speaking in an interview broadcast on Bel RTL on Monday, De Wever (N-VA) said the scale of the task was weighing heavily on him as ministers prepare to take major budget decisions in the coming weeks.
“I’m not sleeping well and I’m thinking about this a lot,” he said, adding that many people hope the burden will fall on someone else. He said public debate often reflects the belief that spending cuts will affect “my neighbour, not me”.
Similarly, he argued, when it comes to increasing revenue, the wealthiest taxpayers are generally singled out. “If we’re looking for revenue, it’ll come from the rich. And someone who’s rich is always someone who’s richer than you. You’re never the rich one; it’s someone else, richer than you, who has to foot the bill,” he said.
According to De Wever, it will be hard to avoid measures affecting a large section of the population. “The reality is that we are in a situation where everyone will feel the consequences of what we do, however we do it,” he said.
The Prime Minister believes that the public is “ready” for these austerity measures and is more aware of the difficulties facing Belgium and Europe than many politicians realise.
De Wever described Europe as under growing pressure in a rapidly changing world, saying the continent has fallen behind China and the United States in innovation and productivity.
He also pointed to Europe’s weakness in defence, saying it is not capable of looking after its own security. “For that reason, people know very well that we have to get moving and that, certainly in Belgium, we are in serious difficulty,” he said.
