Belgium in Brief: Tax trouble, pigeon panic and more missing luggage

Belgium in Brief: Tax trouble, pigeon panic and more missing luggage

More baggage trouble at Brussels Airport, Thalys gets competition on the Brussels Amsterdam route and Police turn to Facebook to find the owners of missing bikes.

Here’s a recap of the news you should know in Belgium this morning:

1. More luggage left behind at Brussels Airport due to staff shortage

Dozens of travellers at Brussels Airport were forced to leave their bags behind on Tuesday after the airport’s handler said it was short of staff, marking the second time since the weekend that the airport is hit with baggage issues. Read more

2. Tax authorities present rich Belgians in Monaco with €100 million bill

The special investigations division of the Belgian tax authorities has presented a bill for almost 100 million euros to Belgians who were found to have pretended to move house to Monaco in order to avoid paying tax in Belgium. Read more.

3. Pigeon ‘birth control’ petition gathers hundreds of signatures

Hundreds of people have signed a petition aiming to “ethically” control pigeon populations in Ixelles by, among other measures, giving them contraceptive feed, or installing special pigeon houses. Read more.

4. Police create Facebook page to find owners of stolen bikes in Brussels

Police from the Brussels-Capital Ixelles zone have set up a Facebook page to identify stolen or abandoned bicycles in the hope of returning them to their owners, according to reports. Read more.

5. Thalys faces competition on the Brussels-Amsterdam line

Despite the technical and financial disaster of the “Fyra” trains, which sparked tensions between the Belgian and Dutch railway companies, SNCB and NS, plan to launch a high-speed train service between Amsterdam and Brussels. Read more.

6. Ignoring anti-advertising stickers can lead to 62,500 euro fine

Despite 16,000 inhabitants of Brussels displaying an anti-advertising sticker on their mailbox, companies continue to violate the rule and risk a significant fine. Read more.

7. Renowned Belgian linguist André Goosse dies at 93

André Goosse, considered one of the most renowned linguists of his era, died peacefully on Sunday 4 August at Ottignies at the age of 93, according to an obituary published on Tuesday in Le Soir daily. Read more.

Jules Johnston

The Brussels Times


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