Belgian Climate Minister Faces Backlash Over Air Travel to Morocco and Lebanon

"It is obviously incompatible to be Minister of Climate and not to be able to do without your car or take the plane! She must set an example! She could very well travel by scooter or bike or even use public transport! She must also realize how difficult it is for people to get around this way...", comments Michel, a listener from Anderlecht who intervened in the program "C’est vous qui le dites" broadcast on RTBF.

Addressing the minister’s trips abroad, this listener proposes solutions. "If she wants to go further, to Morocco or Lebanon, she just has to take the train! And if it takes too long to get there, she can work by videoconference so as not to waste too much time, it’s compatible with new technologies! To say that it’s impossible is a false excuse! We ask everyone to make efforts, she has the means to do so as well! She just has to organize herself and everything will be fine for her, she will be on time for her appointments..."

Danièle from Jette agrees with Michel. "I’m not the Minister of Climate but I don’t know how to do without my car either! Yet, because of the Ecolo, I’m forced to have to do without it! I’m from Jette where I’ve lived all my life, I have an old diesel Golf and I can no longer go back to the Brussels region... So if I have to be careful, she does too! She must set an example as a minister! As for me, I’m disabled, I don’t have many alternatives and yet I have to give up my car... So let her make an effort, too!"

Rina, from Zemst, does not share the opinion of the previous listeners: "In itself, it could be incompatible but I can hardly see Mrs. Khattabi traveling for two days to go see her family in Morocco or her in-laws in Lebanon! For us, traveling by train is already almost impossible since public transport is really not easy to access or use. And then, her travels have nothing to do with the way she works! If it happens, she does her job very well... But I just think that in her case, it’s impossible to do otherwise, I don’t see how she could go so far other than by car or plane!"

In a statement to Sudpresse, Ms. Khattabi says she cannot do without her car. She is convinced that even if she uses it as little as possible, she would always be late. She also acknowledges taking the plane to go to Morocco or Lebanon, the country of origin of her husband.