>If the Flemish Government’s policy encounters legal limits, the N-VA responds with arrogant power politics. The nitrogen debacle illustrates how far Bart De Wever is willing to go for the big money.
>
>The legislative activity of Flemish Member of Parliament **Bart De Wever** (N-VA) has been limited to one proposal for a decree over the past four years. Together with his party chairman **Wilfried Vandaele** and Open Vld, he submitted the famous nitrogen decree last summer.
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>This week the **Council** **of** **State** turned the proposal into fuel. Specialists are unanimous: the nitrogen decree has no chance of **a test by the Constitutional** **Court .** passing
>
>Loosely translated: De Wever and co delivered embarrassingly poor legislative work. Last Wednesday, the N-VA chairman sent his cat to the debate in the Flemish Parliament about the nitrogen debacle.
>
>A few months ago, another administrative court – the **Council for Permit Disputes** – annulled the environmental permit of chemical company **Ineos** for the construction of a new ethane cracker in the Port of Antwerp. That Council was also very strict about the underlying policy work. According to the Council, Flemish Minister for the Environment **Zuhal Demir** (N-VA) proceeded “routinely and carelessly” in her assessment.
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>Both files are intimately intertwined. De Wever submitted the nitrogen decree on the orders of **Jim Ratcliffe** , the big boss of Ineos. They urgently want a legislative framework that should help get a new environmental permit approved as quickly as possible.
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>In addition to a tailor-made nitrogen decree and the promise of a new environmental permit, Ratcliffe also requested and received a bank guarantee of 500 million euros from the Flemish Government last year. The government of **Jan** **Jambon** (N-VA) therefore, at the request of the Ineos boss, without batting an eyelid, cracked [ its own financial risk management ](https://www.apache.be/2023/08/21/op-vraag-van-ineos-kraakt-regering-jambon-financieel-risicobeheer) .
>
>The Flemish Parliament, which is supposed to supervise the executive power, was given little insight into the underlying financial deal. The members of the competent committee had to make do with documents full of black-tipped content.
1 comment
>If the Flemish Government’s policy encounters legal limits, the N-VA responds with arrogant power politics. The nitrogen debacle illustrates how far Bart De Wever is willing to go for the big money.
>
>The legislative activity of Flemish Member of Parliament **Bart De Wever** (N-VA) has been limited to one proposal for a decree over the past four years. Together with his party chairman **Wilfried Vandaele** and Open Vld, he submitted the famous nitrogen decree last summer.
>
>This week the **Council** **of** **State** turned the proposal into fuel. Specialists are unanimous: the nitrogen decree has no chance of **a test by the Constitutional** **Court .** passing
>
>Loosely translated: De Wever and co delivered embarrassingly poor legislative work. Last Wednesday, the N-VA chairman sent his cat to the debate in the Flemish Parliament about the nitrogen debacle.
>
>A few months ago, another administrative court – the **Council for Permit Disputes** – annulled the environmental permit of chemical company **Ineos** for the construction of a new ethane cracker in the Port of Antwerp. That Council was also very strict about the underlying policy work. According to the Council, Flemish Minister for the Environment **Zuhal Demir** (N-VA) proceeded “routinely and carelessly” in her assessment.
>
>Both files are intimately intertwined. De Wever submitted the nitrogen decree on the orders of **Jim Ratcliffe** , the big boss of Ineos. They urgently want a legislative framework that should help get a new environmental permit approved as quickly as possible.
>
>In addition to a tailor-made nitrogen decree and the promise of a new environmental permit, Ratcliffe also requested and received a bank guarantee of 500 million euros from the Flemish Government last year. The government of **Jan** **Jambon** (N-VA) therefore, at the request of the Ineos boss, without batting an eyelid, cracked [ its own financial risk management ](https://www.apache.be/2023/08/21/op-vraag-van-ineos-kraakt-regering-jambon-financieel-risicobeheer) .
>
>The Flemish Parliament, which is supposed to supervise the executive power, was given little insight into the underlying financial deal. The members of the competent committee had to make do with documents full of black-tipped content.