Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
Figures requested by MP Frank Troosters of the far-right party (Vlaams Belang) from Interior Minister Annelise Verlinden show that the number of police officers at Brussels Zaventem Airport is decreasing year after year. "Not even 75 percent of the planned appointments have been filled," says Troosters. "This development is not only unacceptable, it is above all painful."
In a statement issued by the party, it was stated that in 2018, "that is, two years after the terrorist bombings," this number was 478, which means that a filling rate of 89.5 percent of the planned staff had been reached. However, a systematic decline followed, with the number of aviation police officers present at the national airport dropping to 398 in 2022.
The statement said that March 22, 2016 will forever remain a dark, black page in the history of this country after terrorists committed attacks at Zaventem airport and at the metro station in Malbec. The worst terrorist attack in Belgium has reached 32 dead and hundreds of victims. Now, seven years later, the perpetrators of this atrocity are finally being put on trial at the Justitia site in Ivre. This process, which could logically draw on a lot of media attention, evokes old images and painful memories for many.
"It is clear that Minister Verlinden does not take safety at the airport seriously," the MP said.
"The fact that it appears at this very moment that the Minister has not paid close attention to ensuring the safety of everyone at the airport for years is particularly painful," adds Troosters. More than €2.2 million has been saved on the salaries of the aviation police personnel stationed at the national airport. This is especially difficult for relatives of the victims and those who were lucky enough to survive the attack at the airport.”
So Vlaams Belang calls to action. "The Minister must act immediately to fill the entire planned staffing frameworks for the airport police, as well as ensure that there is adequate representation of agents at the airport," adds Troosters. So I will question the minister about this and urge her to take action quickly."