The president of the Socialist Party Differently (sp.a), John Crombez, on Tuesday called on Antwerp Mayor Bart De Wever to focus on the scope of the drug problem in his own party. His call came in reaction to allegations by the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) head that certain politicians were on the verge of coming under the influence of the drug mafia operating in Antwerp’s low-income neighbourhoods.
"There are even people with a drug past at the head of the Antwerp N-VA,” Crombez said on the private VTM channel.
De Wever had said that unlike other political parties, his N-VA was vaccinated against the risk of being influenced by the drug mafia. Crombez retorted that “within the Antwerp N-VA there are certainly two persons with very close links to the cocaine milieu.”
The president of the Flemish socialists said he had been particularly angered by the “insinuations” of his N-VA counterpart. “Corruption must be fought in all transparency,” he said. “If people at the head of the N-VA have a drug past or links with arms manufacturers, that can also be known. Practice what you preach.”
The Brussels Times
