Possible appeal against Brussels Airport operating licence causes division in Brussels’ regional government
The Brussels regional Finance Minister Sven Gatz (Flemish liberal) has told VRT News that there is no question that the Brussels Regional Government will appeal against the Flemish decision to grant Brussels Airport at Zaventem (Flemish Brabant) a new operating licence. Mr Gatz says that his ministerial colleague Alain Maron (Francophone green) was not speaking on behalve of the Brussels Regional Government when he said that he intended to lodge an appeal. The Brussels Finance Minister stress that no such decision has been taken by the regional government and that any decision to lodge an appeal would have to reached by consensus among all the ministers that make up Brussels’ 6-party regional government coalition.
"The airport creates a certain amount of nuisance to people the city - we know that - but the airport also provides a lot of benefits to the city. Brussels depends to some extent on this engine of the Belgian economy. There are a lot of low-skilled jobseekers from Brussels that find jobs at the airport."
According to Mr Gatz, a balance must be struck between economic benefits and impact on the surrounding area and the environment. "The operating licence is what it is and actually it ensures that the number of night flights is limited, and that aircraft have to become increasingly low noise."
He added that Mr Maron’s comments were all the more surprising as “We had a two-hour meeting yesterday, and not a word was spoken about it then. Then an hour later I hear about this on the news. I don't think that's a correct way to behave."
In any case Mr Gatz says that he has no intention of approving an appeal against Brussels Airport’s operating licence.