The professional status of artists will not be compromised by incoming unemployment reforms, Public Enterprise and Civil Service Minister Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés) said on Thursday.
Matz explained that Federal Government negotiations had explicitly agreed on the preservation of artist status, which is a special category that gives artists access to social security.
On Wednesday, L'Echo reported that reforms to unemployment benefits proposed by Economy Minister David Clarinval (MR) could end the special status. However, Matz has stressed that this was a dealbreaker throughout negotiations.
"It is not part of the government agreement, so there is no ambiguity on this matter," she said. "Some may try to circumvent this, but we are the guarantors of the government agreement and there is absolutely no question of abolishing this status for artists."
President of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Elisabeth Degryse (Les Engagés) has also voiced her opposition to a reform of this sort.
General strike
In the context of an upcoming general strike in Belgium, Matz acknowledged public servants' concerns about the announced changes. The government aims to replace the public service status with permanent contracts, except for in "positions of authority", she explained.
"We are working closely with the unions. I do not want abrupt reforms that disrespect the civil service," she said, adding that she found the civil service to be highly competent.
"Anti-civil service bashing is not for me." Matz advocates for more agility within the public administration but does not intend to apply private-sector rules, stating that such a move "would make no sense".
