The King said that the situation this year couldn’t have been more different than it was a year ago.
A new Federal Government took office in December and measures have been taken or will be taken in a number of important areas.
Constitutional reform, devolution, the partition of the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde parliamentary constituency and judicial area and measures to help stimulate job creation and growth have already been approved by the Di Rupo government.
The King believes that the return to political stability has had a positive effect both on the Belgian economy and on our country’s image abroad.
The Belgian economy is doing better than the European average and the King said that our country’s contribution to the debate at European level is valued by the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council alike.
The monarch believes that Belgium is leading the way with its economic re-launch plan.
“Unity in diversity”
In a thinly-veiled swipe at the Flemish nationalist N-VA, King Albert called for openness both towards the other communities living in Belgium and towards the peoples of other European countries.
Albert II also condemned popularism. “Unity in diversity” was clearly the message in the latter part of the monarch speech.
