3 August 2007
BRUSSELS – The francophones are themselves responsible for the problems they are now facing in the negotiations on the formation of a new government, former prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene (Flemish Christian Democrats CD&V) says on Friday in an interview with Le Soir.
“The (language) boundary is an example of how the francophones wanted to teach Flemings a lesson, while they themselves created the problem,” Jean-Luc Dehaene says.
“If Wallonia had accepted bilingualism in 1932 Belgium would never have become what it is today,” he adds. Dehaene also stresses that the efforts of the francophones – to learn Dutch that is – come about 40 years too late.
He commented that a new generation of Flemish politicians no longer speak French. The former prime minister warns the francophones not to let the negotiations hit deadlock.
[Copyright Expatica News 2007]
Subject: Belgian news