The restaurant inside the Brussels Palais de Justice has been closed for a minimum of two weeks following a troubling food safety inspection by the AFSCA, Le Soir reported on Wednesday.
According to an internal message to staff, consulted by Le Soir, the Justice Ministry's management committee ordered 'an immediate shutdown to guarantee the health of our colleagues'. Inspectors identified serious violations of EU food hygiene regulations, prompting the decision.
Justice Ministry spokesperson Edward Landstheer confirmed the closure and said a full deep clean will be carried out so the premises can meet the required standards.
The canteen will remain closed from 13 November for at least two weeks. The operator has been instructed to comply urgently with food safety rules, and the ministry is monitoring the situation closely.
Landstheer stressed that the matter was not taken lightly. "The health of everyone remains our absolute priority, and this decision was necessary," he said.
The closure comes as Belgium's justice sector prepares to take to the streets of Brussels on Friday to protest chronic underfunding. At the Palais de Justice, at least, the system is struggling to digest much of anything, Le Soir notes.
