The Flemish Government has decided to allocate €38 million for the region's culinary centre, which will open in the buildings of the former Loodswezen in Antwerp, instead of Bruges as initially planned.
The centre will be placed on the Antwerp Scheldt quays, but according to the Flemish ecologist Groen party, the prestige project was initially supposed to go to Bruges as the city had a stronger case. However, after deliberation, Antwerp was chosen – a case of "nepotism", says Groen.
"Bruges has a culinary reputation in terms of training to become a chef," said group leader for Groen in the Flemish Parliament Björn Rzoska. "Bruges is also a touristically interesting place. What's more, a location had been found that was cheaper than the one in Antwerp, so Bruges had the strongest case."
According to Rzoska, Flemish Tourism Minister Zuhal Demir initially agreed with this assessment and her administration worked on the Bruges dossier. "Until a consultation took place between Demir and Antwerp city councillor for tourism Koen Kennis, a fellow N-VA party member. After that consultation, the culinary centre suddenly moved from Bruges to Antwerp. Pure nepotism."
Even more tourists in Bruges
In Bruges, the N-VA is in the opposition, whereas in Antwerp is it not. "When I see the documents, I cannot rid myself of the impression that a decision was made in the backroom to allow the culinary centre and the many subsidies associated with it to flow back to Antwerp and not Bruges," said Rzoska.
He stressed that it concerns a budget of €38 million. "I have a lot of questions about that and hope to get an answer from Demir in parliament this week."
Meanwhile, Demir's spokesperson told VRT that the Loodswezen had not yet been proposed as a location for Antwerp at the time of the decision.
Additionally, the 14th-century monastery in Bruges where the culinary centre would have been located was to be used again as a religious building. Moreover, Demir did not consider it expedient to attract even more tourists to Bruges.
