The New Flemish Alliance MP Veerle Wouters has talked of taking away Prince Laurent’s allowance for 5 years. This comes after the Court of Auditors published a very critical report on the King’s brother’s spending.
The report says the Prince has included private spending in official expenses.
The MP says it is “surreal” that the Prince uses public money for personal expenses. “How many more of Laurent’s gaffes do we have to put up with?” she asks. According to her colleague Hendrik Vuye, also a New Flemish Alliance MP, the Prince only gets an allowance because he is a member of the royal family. “In reality, Laurent does not hold an official position within the Belgian state”, he says.
The two MPs are calling for a modification of the law, to introduce clear sanctions when the system is abused. Meanwhile, they are asking Prince Laurent to reimburse the amounts he fraudulently claimed as expenses. If the Prince doesn’t, they warn he would be guilty of “illegal enrichment”.
(Source: Belga)
