Drug crime in Brussels continued with more shootings and police apparently unable to get on top of the violence. Meanwhile changes to Belgian tax will impact expats and Belgium braces for an unprecedented nine days of strikes. The headlines kept coming and keeping up with every development was a full time job (trust us). ICYMI, here are six stories that defined the week, as told by The Brussels Times.
'It's like the Wild West. For the first time, I'm considering moving away' - Cureghem residents despair at drug violence
The string of shootings in Anderlecht has brought local concerns to a climax. The feelings of insecurity and lack of response mean residents avoid areas where drug gangs are operating, protect themselves with pepper spray, and even move away.
Expat tax regime: What changes under the new Federal Government
Belgium's new Federal Government is planning on making changes to how expats are taxed. Softer eligibility criteria aim to increase foreign investment and boost employment.
'We've had a tsunami of complaints about safety in Brussels'
Thierry Geerts is the chief executive of BECI (Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry), which represents more than 35,000 businesses in the capital. In the aftermath of the drug-related shootings in Brussels earlier this month, he talks to The Brussels Times about the perception of insecurity and the impact on business. This interview was conducted before the latest shootings.
'Europe needs a real foreign policy' - Jeffrey Sachs slates EU reliance on US
Europe must build its own foreign policy if it has any hope of staying relevant and preserving its values, leading American economist Jeffrey Sachs said in the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday.
Is 2025 the year for first-time buyers to purchase property?
High interest rates temporarily paused young people's growing presence in the real estate market. However, experts are seeing renewed optimism for this cohort of buyers in 2025.
Crypto in Belgium: A young man's game?
Belgium is a nation of savers, with the average person having more than €25,000 in savings – a large part of which is squirrelled away in saving accounts growing at little more than the rate of inflation. But the conventional prudence with which many approach money management is being shaken up as new possibilities create new investors.
