Government wants to get extra money for Defense mainly from one -off measures

The core cabinet bent for the third time on Friday about the Defense Plan, which provides extra investments for the army. The intention is to spend 2 percent of GDP on Defense this year, a standard that NATO has been imposing for years, but that Belgium has never achieved. Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Defense Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) want to go to the next NATO top in June with an agreement in his pocket.

Superfluous

However, there is not yet an agreement on how the approximately 4 billion should be found to reach the 2 percent. Also on Friday the prime minister and the top ministers did not agree yet. Although there is already a consensus that could result in an agreement next Tuesday.

It looks like the government will only speak out about the extra billions that have to be found this year. There is still time for the following years. Moreover, NATO will probably impose a new, stricter standard in June in June. It makes big discussions about the future somewhat superfluous.

Various sources indicated on Friday that the 4 billion for this year will mainly be filled in with one shotsone -off income. This includes the taxes that Belgium has on the frozen Russian credits parked at Euroclear, a special dividend of the Staatsbank Belfius and the sale of non-strategic participations in government companies.

Contradictions

It is not yet clear how the extra defense money – for the following years – should be found. No agreement can be expected on this in the coming days and weeks. Only by July, when the government organizes a new budget control, must exist about this. That discussion is also much more difficult and risks the ideological contradictions within the team: MR and N-VA are for savings and Vooruit prefers to see the extra money flowing into the strongest shoulders through taxes.

By July, Theo Francken must also be ready with his shopping list for military purchases.