Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) wants to establish a military-trained police reserve that could be deployed during riots, following violence on the sidelines of recent demonstrations.
Both Defence and Home Affairs Ministries are currently discussing ways to strengthen cooperation between the two departments.
Speaking on RTL-TVi on Sunday evening, Francken said he wanted to create a "gendarmerie 2.0" under the authority of the Minister of the Interior, Bernard Quintin (MR).
"When there are riots, we need to strengthen our security response," he said.
Related News
- MEPs reject Russian elections, condemn fear-driven ballot and occupied-region votes
- Workers' Party shakes off links to Friday's Brussels riots
Under the proposal, police officers would receive military training from Defence before being made available to the Interior Ministry.
"We need an operational reserve with military training. When violence is so extreme, we must protect citizens," Francken said.
The Defence Minister added that Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) was aware of the proposal and that discussions had taken place as recently as this week.
Quintin's office confirmed that meetings had been held between the two.
"Yes, we are holding discussions, in line with the already successful cooperation between the police and Defence," the minister's office said, citing the protection of certain sites and joint patrols with railway police.
"We are jointly examining how to further strengthen this cooperation and the ability of our services to ensure the safety of all our fellow citizens," it added.
