As 2025 draws to a close, we decided to look back on the most unusual stories published in the Brussels Times over the past year.
From a petty row over carbonara sauce to a village being plagued by jackdaws, 2025 has been a vintage year for eyepopping stories in Belgium.
Some were funny, while others were just plain strange – everything you would expect in the home of surrealism.
Here are some of the highlights:
Cult Belgian UFO memorial removed at request of spotter’s family
In September, a roadside memorial to a UFO spotting in Flanders was removed at the request of the family of the man who created it.
The monument, which had gained a cult reputation in Belgium, was erected in 2004 by a man named Marin Vandercruyssen.
Located in the hamlet of Lottenhulle in Aalter, it commemorated the moment when on Belgian National Day in 1955, a young Vandercruyssen spotted a group of people standing by the roadside, staring at the sky.
Vandercruyssen pulled over and saw five gigantic, silver discs, each about a hundred metres in diameter, hovering above the motorway. He became convinced they were UFOs.
In 2004, he persuaded the local council to allow him to erect a monument to the sighting in the form of a 40x40cm marble slab. But this year, the family of Vandercruyssen, who died in 2020, asked a lawyer to send the local council a letter requesting its “urgent removal” and said they no longer wished to be associated with it.
Brussels cat earns 5 star reviews on Google
A white and grey cat named Grisje has become a tourist attraction in Jette.
Grijsje has earned cult status in the commune as the railway station’s resident mouser-in-chief. So popular is the handsome tomcat that he is now listed as a tourist attraction on Google Maps, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
The reviews are glowing: “The cutest cat in the neighbourhood.” “A fantastic cat – great company while waiting for the train.”
In an interview with Nieuwsblad, Grijsje's owner said she adopted him several years ago after he was abandoned in a cardboard box in Poperinge, Flanders. When she moved to Jette, she naturally brought him with her – and he quickly made himself at home.
Grijsje looking handsome near the station. Credit: Marie Van Hoeymissen/Google
Italian minister fumes at Delhaize's ready-made 'carbonara sauce'
An Italian minister was left reeling after spotting an inauthentic "carbonara sauce" being sold inside the European Parliament in Brussels.
Italy’s Minister of Agriculture, Francesco (Fratelli d’Italia), took to social media to express his outrage at the sale of Delhaize’s own-brand sauce during a visit to Brussels.
The controversial Delhaize "carbonara". Credit: Francesco Lollobrigida / Facebook
The Belgian supermarket's version contains cream and pancetta, which are not included in the traditional recipe from Rome. The jar, adorned with an Italian flag, says it contains "Italian pancetta" and "onions from Calabria".
The Roman dish contains guanciale (pork jowl), which is another type of cured meat from the pig’s cheek, which today is usually more expensive than pancetta.
"Leaving aside the pancetta in the carbonara... all these products represent the worst of 'Italian Sounding,' it is unacceptable to see them on the shelves of the European Parliament's market. I have asked for checks to be carried out immediately," Lollobrigida wrote in a social media post.
Flemish village plagued by jackdaws
Earlier this year, the skies over the quiet West Flemish province of Helkijn were like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's film 'The Birds".
Flocks of jackdaws took the village by storm. The birds damaged insulation on rooftops, tore at solar panels by pecking through the cables, and bombarded tiles with chestnuts to crack their shells.
Jackdaws are considered one of the brainiest birds in the world. Credit : Unsplash.
Mayor Mathias Goos fielded a small avalanche of insurance claims. "Every year there are more," he told The Brussels Times. "The damage is real. They fly up to 60 meters into the air and deliberately drop walnuts and chestnuts on the roofs of houses.”
The jackdaws are undeterred by the town's anti-bird measures, sometimes returning in greater numbers after being previously repelled.
The bird population has been increasing across Flanders since 2007, due to milder winters and abundant food sources, as well as urban environments offering nesting sites.
In 2025, a total of 10 reports related to jackdaws were received for the whole of Flanders. In 6 cases, the reports concerned agricultural damage, while 4 cases involved damage to buildings, according to Natuur & Bos. Half of the 10 reports originated from West Flanders. Not a single report came from Helkijn.
Belgian PM reiterates his support for reunification of Belgium and the Netherlands
Despite becoming prime minister of Belgium in February, it seems Bart De Wever cannot bring himself to support the concept of ‘Belgium’ as a nation.
Flemish nationalist De Wever is well-known for his outspoken views on greater autonomy for Flanders and before becoming prime minister, he argued in favour of reunification with the Netherlands.
His views appear to have changed little since taking office. Speaking on the Dutch radio programme Sven op 1 earlier this year, he advocated for the reunification of the Low Countries – though not the division of Belgium.
"I never change my convictions, only my position, and then you have to be more careful of what you say," he said.
"As Prime Minister, this is a statement I cannot make. But as a politician and a human being, I am convinced that the separation of the Netherlands in the 16th century is the greatest disaster that has ever befallen us."
Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Credit: Belga/Emile Windal
Head of Baby Jesus stolen from Grand Place nativity scene
The head of the figurine of the baby Jesus in the nativity scene at the Grand Place was stolen earlier this month.
According to initial findings, the figurine was decapitated by an unknown perpetrator, who made off with the head but left the body in place.
"I can confirm it was the ball of cloth that served as the head of the baby Jesus that was stolen," stated spokesperson Victor Kanyanzira. "We are in the process of replacing it."
The theft came amid controversy surrounding the nativity scene in the Grand Place. The nativity scene was the subject of criticism on social media, with members of the public and public and political figures criticising the City of Brussels for the design of the cloth figures.
The Brussels nativity scene has been targeted before. In 2017, the entire figurine of the baby Jesus disappeared and was never recovered.
Brussels hires ferrets to catch rats
Earlier this year, the City of Brussels made global headlines when it announce it would deploy an unusual ally in its fight against the city's growing rat population: the ferret. Ferrets are natural predators of rats and can slink into tight spaces to chase the rodents into traps.
But using ferrets to chase down rats is already well-established in other parts of Brussels. In August, The Brussels Times accompanied veteran rat-catcher Jean de Marcken on 'rat patrol' in Etterbeek.
De Marcken explained that ferrets are the most effective way of catching rats because "rats dread ferrets" and cannot stand their smell. Also, no poison or traps that accidentally harm or kill residents' pets are necessary.
"The ferret method is target-oriented," he said. "Plus, people love them. Although they need to be cautious, these animals are quite ferocious and can be unpredictable."
