Vooruit does not wish to "waste any more time with subtexts," so it is no longer willing to negotiate until formateur Bart De Wever (N-VA) puts a new socio-economic report and budget on the negotiating table, the Flemish Socialists said in a press release on Thursday evening.
The presidents of the incoming coalition met at the presidency of the House of Representatives around midday on Thursday for the second time since the municipal elections of 13 October. Negotiators from the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) and Cristen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) parties called for the pace of negotiations to be stepped up, but little progress appears to have been made.
Vooruit wants a new socio-economic report and a new budget table on which to negotiate. According to the Socialists, the note rejected last summer is back on the table and is even moving "further and further away from a fair balance."
"Vooruit is prepared to take tough decisions and explain them," the party said, "as long as the efforts are justified and the burden is shared fairly."
"Unfortunately, after months of negotiations, this is still not the case," the Flemish Socialists charged. "All energy must now be focused on the budgetary framework within which negotiations can take place.
"This is the only way to succeed in forming a new government."
