Defence Minister Steven Vandeput says he has “his head held high” in the F-16 affair. In an interview with L’Echo on Friday, he said “I challenge anyone to provide even the tiniest bit of proof that the procedure is biased.”
“I am far from the favourite candidate, that much is clear. My strategic vision is the public market bid is there. Yes, there are internal work documents that contradict this vision and the bid, but none of that is in the final bid or strategic vision. So anyone who claims there was any bias or use of influence is wrong. It doesn’t exist”, he stated.
Calmly stating he has “his head held high”, he added that nothing would have changed if he had stepped down, “as the paperwork adds up”. “I am waiting for the results of the audits on the leaks, and I will then take the necessary measures. It’s clear that some people in the military interfered in politics at some point and that’s not allowed”, he said.
He criticised the “political game” that “absolutely tried to bring down an N-VA Minister”.
The Brussels Times
