A female employee of the Ledegem delicatessen company Remmery whose husband is suspected of writing a series of threatening letters has been dismissed from the firm. The manager thinks it is better that the woman leaves the company permanently after the controversy and four months absence. Her husband has been in remand custody for the past two weeks after his DNA was allegedly found on a threatening letter sent to a Muslim employee, Naima, who wears an Islamic veil. The woman regrets she can no longer work at Remmery, but has accepted the decision.

Supermarket price war ‘to cost jobs’

A two-year supermarket price war will eventually cost the large supermarket chains 7,600 jobs, it has been claimed. It will also threaten 600 or 60 percent of the smaller, independent stores, the association of self-employed entrepreneurs Unizo said. Carrefour and GB supermarkets launched a price war earlier this week. The supermarkets Super GB Partner, AD Delhaize and Alvo arte expected to suffer the most.

Extra revenue via fuel excise tax

The government is expected to earn EUR 4 billion via tax on fuel this year. That is EUR 600 million more than in 2003, when the excise tax on petrol and diesel was raised. The government said on Thursday it will examine how the extra revenue can be paid back to the public. However, it is prepared to inject just EUR 275 million back in to the economy.

Schools to become smoke free

All schools will need to be smoke-free by the end of this year. Currently, school directors can set up a smoking room, but that will not be possible from 1 January 2006. Smoking will then be taboo for staff, teachers and students on the entire campus. A survey has revealed that 20 percent of teachers were still smoking at school this year and just 30 percent of schools were completely smoke-free.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news