17 February 2005
BRUSSELS – The visit of US President George Bush to Brussels is predicted to cause traffic chaos in the city at the beginning of next week.
Bush is due to arrive in Brussels on Sunday evening and stay in the EU capital until Wednesday morning when he will fly on to Germany.
On Thursday, the news agency Belga reported that many roads are to be closed for security measures during his stay in Brussels.
In the US Embassy area, Boulevard du Regent, Rue Zinner and part of Rue Ducale are to be closed.
On Monday, the inner ring-road near Place Rogier will be closed in both directions from 6am to 9.30 am.
The Place des Palais, Rue Ducale and a section of Rue Royale will be closed from 8am to 11am.
From 11.30am to 3pm, Rue Arlon – from Rue Belliard until Rue de la Loi – will be closed, as well as Rue Jacques de Lalaing – from Chaussee d’Etterbeek and Rue de la Science.
The area from Avenue des Arts to Rue Guimard will also be closed for at least part of Monday.
Closures are also planned at Boulevard Leopold III, Rue de la Fusee and part of Avenue du Bourget when the president visits NATO on Tuesday.
The European Quarter will also be disrupted on Tuesday afternoon when the Schuman roundabout and its surrounding streets will be out of bounds to traffic.
In addition, most of the EU officials working at the European Commission’s Berlaymont headquarters have been asked to stay at home during Bush’s visit.
Of the 2,000 or so eurocrats who habitually turn up for work at the star-shaped building on Rond Point Schuman, only around 100 have been given security clearance to enter the Berlaymont while the US President is in town.
Similar measures have been put in place for staff working that the Council of Ministers headquarters – the Justus Lipsius building – opposite the Berlaymont.
[Copyright Expatica 2005]
Subject: Belgian news