Koen Geens regretted the remarks made by Jean de Codt, first president of the court of cassation. The court of cassation is the final court of appeal in Belgium. Jean de Godt was critical against the consequences of the budget savings in the justice area by the federal government.
“This nation is not a nation of laws but has become a rogue nation,” he said.
In his response, the minister of justice, Koen Geens, expressed his "astonishment at the frivolous and vexatious manner in which Mr. Codt spoke."
The minister of justice also referred to "inaccuracies" in de Godt’s statement. "To suggest that the number of detainees is still increasing in our country is at odds with the undeniable decline in numbers between April 2014 and today - to be exactly from 11 813 to 10 872.”
Koen Geens also stated that staff at the francophone courts of first instance in Brussels has been increased by 30 % since 2014 and that all posts had been filled. The total number of judicial staff has been doubled since 2014, according to the minister.
On Tuesday (17 May), Koen Geens will meet the presidents of the courts. In the afternoon he’ll meet the unions to discuss the strike in the prisons.
The Brussels Times (Source: Belga)
