Laat prinses Astrid haar handelsmissies zelf bekostigen
![Foto: iStock. Laat prinses Astrid haar handelsmissies zelf bekostigen](/sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w28/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=Xj4rV8T9 28w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w33/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=XxM-F1mh 33w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w39/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=MCouaafh 39w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w47/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=p7JAhMT8 47w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w56/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=BxFFb7fG 56w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w66/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=dydswlBU 66w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w67/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=XTUSEeXb 67w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w78/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=3mZoVCro 78w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w79/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=5O_zjUOf 79w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w94/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=eAH3eqx4 94w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w111/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=fe6Kizye 111w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w112/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=DU1o8UJF 112w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w131/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=t3gcy5UJ 131w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w134/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=hpr2YRA3 134w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w155/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=8UBKpKfB 155w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w158/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=uU2x85Ps 158w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w183/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=Fhst8eRU 183w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w188/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=ovmhruHG 188w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w216/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=HEGwKx2h 216w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w222/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=j5O87k_2 222w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w255/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=NNSPUylO 255w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w262/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=fKnodnZ5 262w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w300/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=QUcmNZye 300w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w310/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=SDTP0Ttx 310w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w353/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=Fik0iJlq 353w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w366/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=YBED3yra 366w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w416/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=NIODxyXh 416w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w432/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=tHiIFAVK 432w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w490/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=Vjsw_2qE 490w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w510/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=r0GDL5Fg 510w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w577/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=bN3dzZgU 577w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w600/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=vCxmx5o8 600w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w679/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=3k2SGBgh 679w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w706/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=1ZiGQIeZ 706w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w799/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=Ihl3hJMU 799w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w832/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=Vk8l4cvX 832w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w941/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=n8J2YJJ8 941w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w980/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=Ri9JPvJx 980w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1108/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=R5ihHQ4a 1108w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1154/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=wKr_jrap 1154w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1304/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=qn8Hq4hR 1304w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1358/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=UgpMB5Px 1358w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1535/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=DpjexNNh 1535w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1598/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=paX7_GdL 1598w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1806/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=KPCoRUjQ 1806w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1882/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=lKOuTUSK 1882w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w2125/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=3318rCIz 2125w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w2216/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=CAxrVnj7 2216w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w2500/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=IcFeJFdF 2500w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w2608/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=xh0I99lu 2608w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w3070/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=jiZUCvMJ 3070w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w3612/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=pxut-odB 3612w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w4250/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=cVbRYe2Y 4250w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w5000/public/2024-02/iStock-517548172.jpg?h=0e552d62&itok=fuQbbqEk 5000w)
In 2023 kostten de handelsmissies van prinses Astrid naar Senegal en Australië de belastingbetaler een kleine 400.000 euro. Dat blijkt uit cijfers die Vlaams Belang-Kamerfractieleider Barbara Pas opvroeg bij minister van Buitenlandse Zaken Hadja Lahbib (MR). “Wij stellen ons ernstige vragen bij die bedragen en het nut van deze zogenaamde ‘prinselijke missies”, zegt Pas.
Het Agentschap voor Buitenlandse Handel werd opgericht in 2002 en organiseert jaarlijks twee prinselijke economische missies. Dit jaar waren de bestemmingen Dakar en Sydney. Het Agentschap voor Buitenlandse Handel dekte 92.235,58 euro van de kosten voor de missie naar Senegal en 196.596,47 euro voor de missie naar Australië. Voor de FOD Buitenlandse Zaken bedroegen de totale kosten respectievelijk 29.991,43 euro voor Senegal en 60.919,38 euro voor Australië.
“Ik betwijfel ten zeerste dat de handelsmissies een grotere positieve impact op onze economie hebben dan de kostprijs ervan”
Volgens haar website stelt het Agentschap voor Buitenlandse Handel zich ten dienste van de drie gewestelijke exportbevorderende instellingen en de Federale Overheid. “Ik betwijfel ten zeerste dat de handelsmissies een grotere positieve impact op onze economie hebben dan de kostprijs ervan”, besluit Pas. “Daar is geen enkele indicatie voor. Het is hoog tijd dat deze dure grap een einde neemt en dat de goed bemiddelde Astrid haar reisjes zelf bekostigt.”