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‘Administrative oversight’ sees Brits face Belgian citizenship woes: British residents in Belgium are calling on the Belgian government to adapt current legal statutes to ensure they will be eligible to apply for citizenship with the new residency “M card” issued as a result of Brexit.
Belgium extends all measures unchanged by Consultative Committee to 31 May: All of Belgium’s coronavirus-fighting measures that were not adapted by last week’s Consultative Committee will be extended until 31 May.
Police finish search after Anderlecht fire, no new victims: Police have finished their search of the rubble following a major fire in Anderlecht on Monday that left at least three people dead and 30 others hospitalised. The building remains too unstable for the fire expert to determine the cause.
Record number of new businesses started in Belgium in 2020: Despite the coronavirus crisis, 106,788 new businesses were started in Belgium in 2020, setting a record number of new entrepreneurs for the eighth consecutive year.
Strict restrictions on reopening of terraces makes it unprofitable, says hospitality sector: If the Covid-19 situation in Belgium allows for the planned reopening of terraces on 8 May, it will be under strict conditions. “Many owners were already hesitant to open, but now they have said they won’t reopen if the conditions are this strict."
Five years for attempted prison break with hijacked helicopter: A man who tried to help his wife escape from a prison in Brussels using a hijacked helicopter has been sentenced to five years in prison by a court in Antwerp.
Cut notary costs by 10% when buying a house, says minister: Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne stated that notary costs for home buyers need to be cut by 10% in response to a report by the Prices Observatory which argued that the system of notary prices is “outdated.”
Vaccinating all adults in Flanders before 11 July ‘still feasible,’ says Beke: The goal of administering at least one vaccination dose to all adults in Flanders before 11 July (the Day of the Flemish Community of Belgium) “remains feasible,” according to Flemish Welfare Minister Wouter Beke.
Authorities fail to make contact with ‘La Boum 2’ organisers ahead of planned party: Police are having little luck tracking down the organisers of “La Boum 2,” the sequel to the fake April-fools festival announced on social media that got out of hand in Brussels on 1 April.
Breda scraps ‘test event’ for 10,000 people after protests: The city council of Breda near the Belgian-Dutch border has decided not to grant a permit for an event planned for the coming weekend. With a planned 10,000 people taking part, its seize sparked outrage.
Belgian residents ‘not welcome’ when Dutch terraces open next week: The terraces in the Netherlands will reopen on Wednesday 28 April, but people living in Belgium are not allowed to quickly cross the border to grab a drink yet, according to the Dutch authorities.
The Brussels Times
