Three transport companies in West Flanders were condemned on Wednesday by the Bruges Criminal Court for social dumping. In a case involving a Bulgarian company, fines amounting to some 300,000 euros were issued.
A first firm in Beernem (West Flanders) used post boxes in Slovakia and Luxembourg, according to the public prosecutor's office. Ten Romanian drivers were at the disposal of the Belgian company. The manager, Daniel V. (60), was sentenced to a six-month suspended sentence and was fined 36,000 euros, half of which have a suspension period. His company was sentenced to pay a fine of 180,000 euros, including 135,000 with a suspension period.
Another company in Wingene employed 17 Romanian drivers, registered in a Romanian company. According to the labor auditorate, it was a fictitious detachment to escape the National Social Security Office (ONSS). The company in Romania had no activities. Nico D. (45) was sentenced to six months in prison and 61,200 euros in fines, half of which is payable with a suspension period. His business was fined 306,000 euros, including 229,500 with a suspension period.
In another case, a company in Torhout employed Bulgarian drivers using a company based in Bulgaria. But there was no real link with the eastern country. The head office of the company in Bulgaria is actually the home of a driver.
Two Torhout company officials and the manager of the Bulgarian company were sentenced to six months in prison for social dumping in the transport sector and were fined 25,200 euros. The judge also ordered the confiscation of 90,000 euros. The companies concerned must pay 126,000 euros each.
The Brussels Times
