Recently, the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG) accused the Flemish Government of pursuing a "lax" environmental protection policy with regards to building permits. As a result, Flemish Environmental Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) has countered these claims by consulting them on future regulations.
Over the last few days, a political dispute has erupted in Flanders between the Flemish Government and the region's local authorities over a planned modification to building permits in the region.
Zuhal Demir, the Flemish Minister for the Environment, has previously said that she wished to adopt uniform building permit requirements at the regional level, which would be applier across all Flemish municipalities.
The VVSG's chairman Wim Dries argued that this was due to the Flemish Government's desire to adopt a more lax policy in terms of protecting the environment compared to Flanders' municipal and city councils.
Related News
- 'If it is confederalism or nothing, then it will be nothing' for N-VA, says Vooruit leader
- Belgium must make lobbying more transparent this year, say Flemish Greens
- Pilot schemes to make "second-chance education" more accessible in Flanders
In response, Demir stated that her proposed regulation was intended to rectify the permit exemption granted to municipalities, who had thus allowed construction under their authority without informing the Regional Government.
As a result, she intends to consult the VVSG in order to implement tighter environmental restrictions for all local authorities in Flanders. She did not, however, conclude without attempting to land a final blow on Dries, whom she accused of "being green in words only" but "a lot less so" in terms of actions.
