Belgium crisis on BBC news

[Cloggy]

I came across this after reading an article on BBC news (cheers Grommit).

Belgian crisis

Well here in Holland it has been regularly in the news, I remember hearing about the subway tunnels from Flanders and Wallonia being funded to the same costs to keep everything 50/50 but the crazy thing was that the Wallonians didn't even use many of the maintained tunnels but they insisted that they recieved funds to keep them maintained

I don't mean to be disrespectful I'm just curious what everyone thinks about this, and was wondering how our southern neighbours can sort out there differences.

Many Dutch people (me included) would warmly welcome the Flemish (Dutch speaking Belgians) as a part of the Netherlands (or United Netherlands) but I don't think it's quite that simple. What do you think.

 

[mastakilla]

Many Dutch people (me included) would warmly welcome the Flemish (Dutch speaking Belgians) as a part of the Netherlands (or United Netherlands) but I don't think it's quite that simple. What do you think.

Well as a Flemish Belgian, I'll say "think again!" Why would you want that anyway? We've been ruled by so many regimes during the course of history, enough already. Thank you for the offer, but we can take care of ourselves.

I'm not going to get started on this topic here, but I can tell you a lot of us have their blood boiling. We're fed up with the Wallonians and their sh*t. They're lazy deadbeats, doing nothing more but wasting all our money.

Can you believe that every single Flemish person pays 1.000 euro per year to support Wallonia? Since only 1/3 of our population is working, that means that every working person pays 3.000 euro per year for Wallonia.

That also means that a normal household, mom and dad and a bunch of kids, have to pay 6.000 euro per year for Walonia alone! That's the amount of money that flows from Flanders to Wallonia every year Don't know about you, but I could do a lot of cool stuff with an extra 3.000 euro per year.

Seriously, I'm even willing to give 200 to 300 euro of my hard earned money to Wallonia each year, but not 3.000 !!! What the hell?!

The worst thing is that things keep getting worse there. Higher unemployment rate, higher crame rate, more poverty, and more and more political scandals. They're not even putting our money into good use. Man that makes me so sad, and so pissed at the same time.

I say we kick 'em out. We've got our own problems to deal with.

 

[nimzotech]

My family has close friends in Hamme - the Flemmish part of Belgium. I love the region; the trapiste beer, the carnivals, people, scenery is all above par. When I visited Hamme I heard lots of complaints about the French part of Belgium. I'm wondering how this is going to work out...

 

[GastonJ]

Odd situation, Reminds me of the Scotland subsidy that costs each person in England something like £2,200 per year. So around £11 billion a year is sent north of the border to make sure they can balance their budget. It's nothing new and will continue, that's the way things work.

There's always people worse off and better off in any country, those that subsidise the less well of. I have to say though that if the money was raised by more speed camera's in England that I'd have moved north of the border.

If you want other examples you only have to look at Ireland which is a country that almost all countries of the EU subsidise, does it really make a difference?

 

[inkrediboy]

Both my parents were raised in the netherlands, and I speak dutch as well.....

"I"m from holland isnt' that weird" (sorry I've been on an Austin Power kick lately)

Admittedly, I was unaware of these particular current day struggles, as just keeping up on major world affairs can be overwhelming. Thanks for posting this up - i'm going to check it out more.

Good luck out there.

 

[Cloggy]

Well as a Flemish Belgian, I'll say \\"think again!\\" Why would you want that anyway? We've been ruled by so many regimes during the course of history, enough already. Thank you for the offer, but we can take care of ourselves.

.....

sorry mate I wasn't being disrespectful, although when I read my own post it does sound a bit pompous, it wasn't meant that way.:spank:
I didn't mean to tell anybody what they should do, I really hope you guys find a solution.

 

[mastakilla]

No offense taken Clog, I know how you meant it. I'm not thát sensitive It's all cool.

I have to admit that I haven't really thought through what a "United Netherlands" would be like. Has it come up among politicians in the Netherlands?

 

[steveindenmark]

Cloggy they should insist on "NOOLLAWS" being introduced so the funds are distributed more fairly.

My GPS has a speed camera warning horn on it so it would drive me nuts riding around there.

Steve

 

[Cloggy]

No offense taken Clog, I know how you meant it. I'm not thát sensitive It's all cool.

I have to admit that I haven't really thought through what a \"United Netherlands\" would be like. Has it come up among politicians in the Netherlands?

I'm pleased I didn't offend our friendly southern neighbours and spark off a political incident :thumbup:

As far as I know there has been no official political statement, but there have been lots of polls & comments on talk shows and on the radio, and going on the public response the Dutch people would love to join the Flemish people if requested to. There is a lot of sympathy for this situation in the Netherlands.

 

[Cloggy]

Both my parents were raised in the netherlands, and I speak dutch as well.....

\"I\"m from holland isnt' that weird\" (sorry I've been on an Austin Power kick lately).

Where abouts did your parents come from in the Netherlands, inkrediboy?

Admittedly, I was unaware of these particular current day struggles, as just keeping up on major world affairs can be overwhelming. Thanks for posting this up - i'm going to check it out more.

Good luck out there.

I was surprised to find it on the BBC, as it has been hot news in the Netherlands for a while now.

 

[Cloggy]

Cloggy they should insist on \"NOOLLAWS\" being introduced so the funds are distributed more fairly.

My GPS has a speed camera warning horn on it so it would drive me nuts riding around there.

Steve

Yeah steve the system has to change,

Thats great having the camera's loaded on your tomtom, I'm really going to have to get that sorted, I read in an article not so long ago that the Netherlands got the most speeding tickets per person in all of europe, and this was due to the fact that they use more radar (per capita) than any other european country

 

[bluenova]

I'm in favor of the split if it means the ridiculous amount of tax I have to pay gets reduced.

On Monday (06/10) there will be a general strike in Belgium against 'the government'. I mean really what is that all about?? Plunging the country into chaos for 1 day when there isn't really a government to protest over. Worst of all I work for an American company so will be one of very few at work

 

[Philippe1985]

My family has close friends in Hamme - the Flemmish part of Belgium. I love the region; the trapiste beer, the carnivals, people, scenery is all above par. When I visited Hamme I heard lots of complaints about the French part of Belgium. I'm wondering how this is going to work out...

I live very close to Hamme.

 

[Philippe1985]

Both my parents were raised in the netherlands, and I speak dutch as well.....

\\"I\\"m from holland isnt' that weird\\" (sorry I've been on an Austin Power kick lately)

Admittedly, I was unaware of these particular current day struggles, as just keeping up on major world affairs can be overwhelming. Thanks for posting this up - i'm going to check it out more.

Good luck out there.

So actually that does mean that you are one of the American that can pronounce Famke Janssen here name right. [ame="http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=5sPCGpXcM6o"]YouTube - In the Closet with Famke Janssen[/ame]

 

[Red Wazp]

What the Famke?? I thought we had all the lazy welfare grabbing slobs here in the US. Perhaps all us hard working taxpayers should build an Island (out of sand) somewhere and ship em' out so they can lay on the beach until they starve.

Are all your babes this hot??