The three regions must repay some €503,000 to the Royal Institute for the Management of Natural Resources and the Promotion of Clean Technologies (“IRGT”), of which Prince Laurent was President. Le Soir is reporting the case on Thursday.
From the creation of the Institute, the idea was for all three Belgian regions to contribute to its financing, by each paying an annual grant. These grant amounts were reduced in 2007, and were no longer paid by Brussels from 2008 onwards, and from 2009 onwards by Flanders and Wallonia.
Placed in liquidation in 2009, the IRGT has taken legal proceedings against the three regions, so as to require them to pay the anticipated grant sums under the agreement by which they were bound. Although its case was dismissed in the court of first instance, the Institute won on appeal. The appeal on a point of law to the Court of Cassation, by Wallonia and Brussels, was rejected last November.
As a consequence, the sums are owed. Flanders is liable for €44,850, Wallonia for €34,320 and Brussels for €42,770. The three regions are also jointly liable for €381,303, being debts of the IRGT. This thus amounts to some €503,000, increased by the imposition of statutory interest.
Although the 2018 grant by Prince Laurent was cut by 15% in the court today, his lawyer does not exclude a possible appeal based upon this ruling.
The Brussels Times
