The outgoing government of the Brussels-Capital Region has formally appealed to senior EU officials for emergency funding to cover cost overruns in the work to redevelop the Schuman Square in Brussels’ European District. The Federal Prime Minister Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist) has slammed the letter saying that the outgoing Brussels regional government has reached a new low.
Federal PM slams Brussels-Capital Region’s “begging letter” to EU appealing for cash to complete work on Schuman Square
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The letter was reportedly addressed the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the Speaker of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, the European Council President António Costa and Kata Tüttő of the Committee of the Regions.
The letter was signed by the First Minister in the outgoing Brussels Regional Government Rudi Vervoort (Francophone social), the regional Secretary of State Ans Persoons (Flemish socialist) and minister Elke Van den Brandt (Flemish green). In the letter the Brussels regional government warns that the it cannot pay the addition costs that will be needed to allow completion of work on the Schuman Square project.
The work is being managed by the joint federal-regional infrastructure fund Beliris. It faces a tight deadline with tenders needing to be finalised by 30 June in order to avoid a further increase in costs. The letter highlights the Brussels-Capital Region's precarious financial situation and the fact that the outgoing regional government only has the authority to act as a caretaker and cannot take new initiatives. More than a year after the election there is still no new regional government in Brussels.