Flemish minister insults cabinet colleagues
The Media Minister has apologised for this 'unsuitable' email. She says that she is not the author, but acknowledges that she bears full responsibility for it.
The email was sent by accident and published in Friday's edition of the daily Het Laatste Nieuws. She also quotes the chief of staff of the socialist Education Minister Pascal Smet. Mr Smet's chief of staff labels the same ministers "male machos in made-to-measure suits who confidently take decisions".
Ms Lieten also claims that the Flemish Government’s action plan 'Flanders in Action' is not a strong brand.
Ms Lieten: "Yesterday an internal mail written by a member of my staff was erroneously sent to my colleague government ministers. The mail was part of an internal exercise intended to examine the socialist party's communication at Flemish Government level. The evaluation ended in a caricature that was unsuitable."
The Media Minister contacted her colleagues on Thursday to apologise. She had wanted to make a public apology, but desisted at the request of the coalition partners.
At the beginning of the cabinet meeting she repeated her message: "The conclusion of the internal analysis must be that everybody should make an extra effort to make the project of the Flemish Government including 'Flanders in Action' work. This is not the language that I normally use."
Ms Lieten does not believe that she has inflicted irreparable damage to confidence in the Flemish Government: "I believe a good relationship can take it."
