The President of the Finance SPF Hans D’Hondt has lodged a legal complaint against the director of the Ghent branch of the Tax Inspection department, Karel Anthonissen. This is due to a Tweet in which Mr Anthonissen expresses doubts about Mr D’Hondt’s desire to fight tax fraud, De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad said on Tuesday. In a reaction to the Tweet posted by the current Finance minister, Jan Van Overtveldt (New Flemish Alliance), Karel Anthonissen responded through social media, on the 9th of March: “@jvanovertveldt The refusal to really fight tax fraud comes from the previous government (Geens) and the president (D’Hondt). Is this still the case?”
Anthonissen is known for being a frank speaker, but his Tweet openly accusing his boss of not making the fight against tax fraud a priority over-stepped the line.
The President of the Finance SPF has lodged a personal defamation complaint against Karel Anthonissen with the Brussels Prosecutor’s office. The Finance Minister and the President of the Special Tax inspection department, Frank Philipsen, have been informed. The latter could also lodge a disciplinary procedure against the regional Tax Inspection manager.
(Source: Belga)
