Belgium’s Minister of Justice, Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), has called for discussions on increasing the security of government ministers to prevent potential threats.
Currently, Belgian ministers do not receive standard security protection. Without revealing specific details, Verlinden noted that certain ministers are under particular surveillance and that her own safety is being closely monitored.
The minister pointed to the foiled attacks from the past week as a reason to re-examine security measures. She emphasised the need to strengthen a “culture of security” across society, especially within political circles.
Verlinden warned that democracy and the rule of law are under pressure, referencing international incidents where political figures are targeted to spread messages of hatred. “We had hoped terrorism would fade into the background, but this case shows that is not the reality,” she remarked.
