Between January 2017 and August 2022, the former Secretary General of the Walloon Parliament, Frédéric Janssens, and several Walloon deputies dined at the parliament’s expense, spending a total of €31,000, according to an analysis of expense reports by Le Soir.
These meals, frequently held in starred and occasionally double-starred restaurants, averaged around €130 per guest.
The operating costs of the Walloon Parliament’s office are not subject to any specific regulations, therefore it was common for business meetings and informal discussions to occur in exclusive restaurants under the previous two presidencies.
However, since December 2022, it appears such restaurant meetings have disappeared from the parliamentary schedule.
Janssens defends the decisions, stating, “I was responsible for the meals I initiated. They were arranged based on the objective or the guest. These luncheons significantly improved the operations of the parliament, encouraged the development of new initiatives, resolved disputes, and maintained good relations with various authorities.”
