Speaking in the Federal Parliament on Tuesday morning, the Federal Prime Minister Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist) said that the Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (Flemish Christian democrat) has his “full support”. Mr De Wever was replying to questions raised by the opposition about the failed i-Police digitisation project.
Last month, the Home Affairs Select Committee decided that hearings should be held about the failed digitisation project. Last weekend it was revealed that Ms Verlinden had previously acted as a lawyer for Sopra Steria, something that she had not disclosed when the contract was awarded.
Speaking in the Federal Parliament on Tuesday morning, the Flemish green MP Matti Vandemaele told the Prime Minister that “You have a problem and that problem is called Annelies Verlinden. Declaring her previous contacts with Sopra Steria was the minimum she should have done as a top lawyer”.
The former Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt (Flemish liberal) said that while he would use the words “conflict of interest”, the Federal Ethics Commission should look into the matter.
Ms Verlinden’s party collegue Steven Matheï said“I almost fall off my chair when I heard the insinuations and imputations. Ms Verlinden had a different life and different professional activities before she was a minister. (...) As a lawyer, you are not your client, you assist them.”
Mr Matheï added that Ms Verlinden had intervened in the previous legislature when it appeared that the i-Police project was coming of the rails, requesting an audit and ordering a reorganisation.
Mr De Wever told a press conference ahead of Tuesday morning’s session of the Federal Parliament that Ms Verlinden’s performance “is not in question as far as I am concerned”, adding that she has his “full support as a minister in the government”.