Hello and good afternoon!
Maïthé here, keeping you up to date on what's happening in Brussels.
Our first story is, unfortunately, a tragic one. This morning, one person died in a fire in an apartment building on Avenue Louise. The fire brigade was called to the scene at around 5:30. About an hour later, the fire was under control, but for one person, it was already too late.
Several other residents were evacuated, but many have been able to return to their homes for the time being. According to the fire department, the flats on the seventh floor (where the fire started) are uninhabitable. Read more here.
Also in Brussels, Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) has kicked off the negotiations for the budget of 2027. He is tasked with finding €10 billion.
As reporter Josse Van Dessel explains, the Belgian deficit currently sits at 5.2% of GDP – the highest in the eurozone – with the debt rising to over 110% of GDP this year. What's worse, Belgium will most likely be hit by a so-called "snowball of compounding interest" in 2030, with the country having to borrow money to pay interest on its debt.
In anticipation of the talks between the coalition parties looking to find this huge sum, the Federal Planning Bureau prepared a list of 250 possible measures to be considered. The list contains several clear ways to increase tax income, but the biggest bone of contention seems to be limiting Belgium's beloved company car scheme. Josse tells you what's happening.
On a completely different note, we also have a story for you about Brussels' pedestrian zone on Boulevard Anspach and its rat problem.
As reporter Anas El Baye found out, rats have become increasingly visible in the city centre. With restaurants, fast-food chains and terraces stretching along much of the pedestrian zone, food is rarely far away – and neither are the leftovers.
To combat the issue, the City of Brussels has upped its annual rat-control budget from €35,000 to €100,000 and purchased 25 digitally monitored smart traps, including 15 installed on the pedestrian zone this summer. However, restaurateurs do not believe this is enough. Anas gives you the latest.
And lastly, some good news for those who like to travel. A new high-speed train now connects Brussels Airport and Cologne in Germany – directly connecting the airport to the international high-speed rail network for the first time in over a decade.
Brussels Airport's management has long been advocating for high-speed trains that stop at the train station underneath the airport, and is already saying that this will mark the beginning of even more connections in the future. The aim is to develop the airport into an "intermodal hub". Find out more here.
And with that, I will leave you to your Wednesday afternoon. If you have comments, tips, corrections or suggestions, you can find me at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
Have a good one!
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1. One person dies in fire in Brussels apartment building on Avenue Louise
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Read more.
2. Belgian government starts budget talks: Where will they find €10 billion?
Belgian PM Bart De Wever has kicked off the negotiations for the budget of 2027 and is tasked with finding €10 billion. Read more.
3. Rats are thriving in Brussels. Can the city stop feeding them?
Brussels is stepping up its fight against rats with smart traps and a bigger pest-control budget, but they will be difficult to eradicate from the city completely. Read more.
4. New high-speed train now connects Brussels Airport and major European city – with more to come
The ambition is to develop more international high-speed rail connections to better link Belgium to major European destinations. Read more.
5. Vlaams Belang’s IKEA campaign runs afoul of European law
CJEU rules against Vlaams Belang in the property rights battle between the far-right party's non-profit arm, Vrijheidsfonds, and Swedish furniture company IKEA. Read more.
6. Six new traditional Belgian restaurants awarded ‘Brusselicious’ label
The six new ones join the nearly 40 other restaurants in the Brussels-Capital Region that already hold the label. Read more.
7. Belgian singer under fire for racist lyrics in new song
The Antwerp singer FabioW has come under intense scrutiny for a racist passage in his new song, 'Praat Nederlands', as he mimics an Asian person and their language. Read more.
