Brussels Minister of Environment and Health Alain Maron (Ecolo) is appealing against the environmental permit that Flanders has granted to the airport. His Open VLD colleague Sven Gatz (photo) maintains that Minister Maron cannot appeal himself without the agreement of the Brussels government.
“In the government, Open VLD has blocked the agenda decisions on this file and thus broken the collegiality that has always prevailed in this file. The interests of the people of Brussels have been damaged and the Minister of the Environment will take his responsibility, in consultation with the Brussels municipalities, who have announced their intention to appeal,” Maron said in a statement.
The Ecolo minister refers to the fact that the government has validated all decisions and requests regarding overflights from the Brussels Region, as provided for in the Brussels coalition agreement. The Brussels government has also confirmed a negative opinion on the new environmental permit for Brussels Airport. Maron also points out that several municipalities, including in Flanders and with Open VLD in the majority, have appealed against the permit.
“Open VLD is changing its position within the Brussels government and ignoring the environment and the health of Brussels residents, despite a very broad consensus on the importance of a profession,” says Alain Maron, who notes that Flanders has appealed against the night flights from Liège airport.
For Minister Maron, in the 21st century it is “no longer conceivable to have an airport close to densely populated areas without finding a better balance between the economy on the one hand and the environment and health on the other.” He calls the Flemish permit “short-sighted”, which not only damages the environment and health, but entails long-term risks for the survival of the airport itself. “Brussels, the capital of Europe, must have an efficient international airport that is managed in a way that truly takes into account the well-being and health of local residents,” said the Ecolo minister. “The Liberals and the N-VA are based on an outdated vision of economic development that does not meet the challenges of this century.”
“Not on your own”
Minister Sven Gatz maintains that his Ecolo colleague Alain Maron cannot appeal against the environmental permit on his own. His cabinet points to the delegation decision of the Brussels government of 16 July 2000, in which Article 5 stipulates that the government allows the delegation of powers to ministers for urban planning and environmental permits, urban development certificates and environmental certificates and subdivision permits. But this does not apply to “the decisions on the relevant appeals”.
Last Thursday, when Maron announced that he would submit the appeal to this week’s Brussels Council of Ministers, Sven Gatz pointed out that the permit, which came after a long process, is more balanced and better than the current permits. “Something is being done about noise pollution, whereby the Brussels noise standards must of course be respected, and about environmental pollution,” said the Open VLD minister.
In addition, he also had to take into account the economic impact of the airport for the Brussels Region and the entire metropolitan region, which is very large. And Gatz noted that there are increasingly many low-skilled people working in and around Brussels Airport.
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Tags: Maron appeals Brussels Airport permit Open VLD opposition
