Belgium's opposition parties, including Groen, want Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder to appear before the Flemish Parliament over a secret settlement with the region’s airports.
This comes after ongoing reports that the Flemish Finance Inspectorate issued three negative opinions on the deal. Earlier this month, Flanders pledged to continue subsidising its small-scale airports in Antwerp and Ostend despite their economic problems.
The dispute centres on an agreement reached by the Flemish Government at its final cabinet meeting before the summer recess on subsidies for regional airports, a long-running and politically sensitive issue within the coalition.
Alongside that agreement, it emerged that the government had also concluded a confidential settlement with Egis, the French operator of Antwerp and Ostend airports.
'Unbalanced deal'
The document, which was accidentally circulated by De Ridder’s office, not only dropped mutual claims worth millions of euros but also stated that the government would continue paying subsidies to the regional airports until 2039.
Flemish Minister of Mobility, Public Work Lydia Peeters. Credit: Belga / James Arthur Gekiere
Groen MP Bogdan Vanden Berghe, who had already criticised the secret deal, said the Finance Inspectorate had delivered three strongly negative opinions. In one opinion seen by Belga, the inspectorate described the settlement as "unbalanced".
He also pointed to concerns raised by the inspectorate over overdue subsidies linked to security tasks. Since 2019, those subsidies have been classified as unlawful state aid, prompting Groen to warn that the agreement could eventually trigger a European recovery order.
"This is not only extraordinarily poor policy from a business perspective, but it is also legally reckless too," Vanden Berghe said.
He wants De Ridder to explain the matter in parliament before September and will ask the chair of the Mobility Committee to convene the committee during the summer.
According to Vanden Berghe, the inspectorate’s opinions also state that the new subsidy agreement is not expected to have any future budgetary impact. He said this suggested subsidy spending would not fall in the years ahead.
That, he argued, contradicts earlier claims by N-VA, Vooruit and CD&V that subsidies would be cut by 27%.
Vanden Berghe also questioned the long-term rationale for supporting Antwerp Airport. He said that from 2027 the airport would lose most of its passengers because of TUI’s departure, leaving an airport largely focused on private jets while still receiving millions in public money.
"If N-VA, Vooruit and CD&V can take that decision despite several negative opinions, they can also come and explain it in parliament. I expect them this summer," he said.
The outside of the Antwerp regional airport. Credit: Belga/ Robbe Vandegehuchte
Independent MP Maurits Vande Reyde said the inspectorate’s opinions confirmed his own criticism of the agreement. He described the settlement as "a combination of legal quicksand and amateurism".
He argued that, contrary to the minister’s claims, the deal solves nothing. Although substantial subsidies will continue to flow to the regional airports in the coming years, he said further legal disputes and additional state aid claims are likely.
"There is only one real solution: stop this. Why does the Flemish Government keep supporting loss-making businesses on every front?" Vande Reyde said.
