The trial of suspects involved in executing the 2016 terror bombings across Brussels is predicted to cost €35.3 million, making it the most expensive trial in Belgian history, documents from FPS Justice viewed by Het Laatste Nieuws show.
This massive cost has been linked mainly to the infrastructure needed to host a trial of such magnitude.
Before the trial, the Justitia building in Haren had to be completely renovated and adapted. Following appeals by the defendants regarding the use of glass boxes in the courtroom, FPS Justice also had to scramble to make costly adjustments, ultimately delaying the proceedings by over a month.
Another significant chunk of the budget has been earmarked for communication services. The remaining costs mostly pertain to the salaries of jurors, lawyers, and interpreters. The cost of deploying security agents to the trial has not yet been taken into account.
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10 terror suspects are set to set to appear on trial on 5 December. The Brussels terror attacks were responsible for the death of 32 civilians and more than 300 injuries.
The previous record for the most expensive trial dates back to 2008-2009 with the trial of Belgian gangster and godfather Marcel Habran. His trial lasted six months and cost around €5 million.
