Belgian news in brief, 7 September 2005

Flemish do not fear terrorist attack

Seven out of every 10 Flemish are realistic enough to accept that Belgium can also be a terrorist attack target. Three out of every 10 are also more suspicious of Muslims, a survey by broadcaster VRT and newspaper ‘De Standaard’ revealed on Wednesday. However, just 15 percent feel more threatened after the bomb attacks in London and Egypt and only 4 percent travel less often with public transport. Almost 90 percent support the use of surveillance cameras in public areas and half of all Flemish residents do not care if the phone is tapped. Some 42 percent are prepared to have emails supervised, news service Skynet reported.

Transporters threaten strike over diesel price

The Union of Professional Transporters UPTR is threatening strike action from Monday onwards if the federal government does not offer compensation for the high price of diesel, commercial broadcaster VTM reported. Various transport organisations discussed the matter with the private secretary of Finance Minister Didier Reynders on Wednesday. UPTR gave the government until Friday to meet its demands. The socialist union in Liège is also threatening strike action.

Inquiry into parents of found missing girl

The public prosecution office in Namen has launched an investigation into the parents of the 16-year-old girl T., who was listed as missing for 13 months before reporting to police earlier this month. T. said she had been beaten at home for years and treated like a “house slave”. She ran away from home on 7 August 2004. The prosecutor is now examining whether the parents should be charged. The parents deny any wrongdoing.

Beke demands damages after false EPO test

The lawyers of triathlete Rutger Beke are demanding that the Belgian athlete be paid compensation for the false positive EPO tests conducted in September 2004. The lawyers have sent a letter to the doping laboratories of Ghent and Cologne and the world anti-doping agency WADA estimating the damages at EUR 125,000. In the letter, the lawyers ask how the three organisations propose to compensate Beke, who was recently cleared of taking any banned substances.

Subject: Belgian news