The newly approved Brussels climate plan is facing criticism from extreme-right wing party Vlaams Belang.
The climate plan, which was approved on Thursday by the Brussels government, is "alienating" and "arrogant", the party explains in a press release.
"Despite the fact that Flanders generously finances the Brussels Region with an annual transfer of more than €1.5 billion, [Brussels] spits into the hand that feeds it," said chairman of the Mobility Committee in the Flemish Parliament and Vlaams Belang member, Bart Claes.
Specifically, the party is critical of what it calls the "anti-car" dimension of the new plan, which intends to ban all cars with combustion engines by 2035 at the latest and to implement a kilometre charge that would be compensated for the Brussels resident, but not for the Flemish commuter.
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There could be no bigger act of provocation than the kilometre tax, the party argues.
“We are already leaders when it comes to road pricing. With €20 billion in car taxes, the motorist is already squeezed out like a lemon. Brussels is now adding a little more. This is the straw that will make the bucket overflow," explained Claes.
Claes has submitted a proposal to abolish the shuttle grant that the Brussels Region would receive in line with the new climate plan.
Evie McCullough
The Brussels Times
