Defensiebudget: ambitie van Vivaldi blijft magere intentieverklaring
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Defensiebudget: ambitie van Vivaldi blijft magere intentieverklaring](/sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w28/public/2023-07/iStock-1186321928%20%283%29.jpg?h=d9b248d8&itok=2auZ1QzI 28w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w33/public/2023-07/iStock-1186321928%20%283%29.jpg?h=d9b248d8&itok=xexCSZcF 33w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w39/public/2023-07/iStock-1186321928%20%283%29.jpg?h=d9b248d8&itok=YZ0Z1RrJ 39w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w47/public/2023-07/iStock-1186321928%20%283%29.jpg?h=d9b248d8&itok=M_c0i2-3 47w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w56/public/2023-07/iStock-1186321928%20%283%29.jpg?h=d9b248d8&itok=J8RHqo-m 56w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w66/public/2023-07/iStock-1186321928%20%283%29.jpg?h=d9b248d8&itok=zVLnvhQZ 66w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w67/public/2023-07/iStock-1186321928%20%283%29.jpg?h=d9b248d8&itok=VMxa3u_L 67w, 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Het Vlaams Belang reageert sceptisch op de magere defensie-ambities van Vivaldi. Gisteren gaf premier De Croo tijdens een gedachtewisseling in de Kamercommissie Defensie aan dat de regering bij haar huidige ambitie blijft: een intentieverklaring om de NAVO-norm van 2 procent van het bbp aan defensie-uitgaven te behalen tegen 2035. Als tussendoelstelling blijft Vivaldi streven naar 1,54 procent tegen 2030. “Minister Dedonder legde de lat al bijzonder laag met deze ambities”, aldus Vlaams Belang-Kamerlid Annick Ponthier. “Maar aan dit investeringstempo geraken ze daar zelfs niet over. Nochtans is de 2 procent-norm het absolute minimum voor onze Defensie om het hoofd boven water te houden.”
Op de aankomende top van 11 tot 12 juli in Vilnius zal de NAVO grote regionale defensieplannen goedkeuren, die enorme bijkomende investeringen van de lidstaten vergen. De NAVO-norm van 2 procent van het bbp aan defensie-uitgaven zal allicht op tafel komen als een kritieke ondergrens en niet meer als streefdoel. Wat investeren in Defensie betreft blijft België echter hekkensluiter. De ambitie van defensieminister Dedonder (PS) reikt namelijk niet verder dan de 2 procentnorm halen tegen 2035, met 1,54 procent als tussenstop in 2030. “Dat staat haaks op de verwachtingen en noden van de NAVO haar lidstaten, die bijna allemaal véél meer investeren”, aldus Ponthier. “Premier De Croo heeft het trouwens slechts over een intentieverklaring, dus het is lang niet zeker of we zelfs die magere ambitie van 2 procent tegen 2035 zullen halen.”
Vlaams Belang hekelt niet alleen de lage investeringsdoelen voor Defensie die de regering zichzelf oplegt, ze is er ook van overtuigd dat minister Dedonder niet over haar eigen lat zal springen. “Aan dit tempo zitten we volgens berekeningen van het Rekenhof aan 0,01 procent van het bbp aan extra defensie-uitgaven ten opzichte van vorig jaar”, zo stelt Ponthier. “Dat wil zeggen dat we aan dit investeringsritme niet de 1,54 procent halen tegen 2030, maar wel een bedroevende 1,27 procent. Als je dit tegen het licht houdt van de belofte die we in 2014 hebben gedaan, namelijk 2 procent tegen 2024, dan besef je hoe stiefmoederlijk de Vivaldi-regering nog stééds met Defensie omgaat.”
Nochtans staan België en de hele NAVO voor heel wat geopolitieke uitdagingen met de oorlog in Oekraïne, het militarisme van China, de instabiliteit in Afrika en blijvend moslimextremisme. “Om deze problemen het hoofd te bieden moeten we de afbraak van ons leger een halt toeroepen en écht investeren”, besluit Ponthier. “Daarom hebben wij in de commissie Defensie gisteren een motie ingediend die de regering oproept om hier en nu ten minste 2 procent van het bbp aan Defensie uit te geven.”