BRUSSELS — A second Charleroi Socialist has resigned as a city alderman in response to a social housing fraud scandal.

Following the lead of André Liesse, Socialist PS alderman Claude Despiegeleer has also tendered his resignation in response to the ‘La Carolorégienne’ housing scandal.

Despiegeleer response also comes after the explicit request of Wallonian Premier Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe, the most prominent PS politician in Charleroi.

Van Cauwenberghe had recently requested at the city council meeting for Despiegeleer to resign as an alderman, newspaper ‘De Standaard’ reported on Monday.

Despiegeleer said he resigned in the interests of the party, but refuses to admit he acted illegally and that his resignation was not a confession of guilt.

The third alderman involved in the affair, Serge Van Bergen, has refused to resign.

The PS had already relieved the three aldermen from their responsibilities after they refused to resign.

The three men were all on the management board of the social housing project ‘La Caroloregienne’, but accusations of mismanagement and financial abuse emerged earlier this month.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news