Bart Dewaele
PM’s office to play coordinating role in tackling crime around Brussels South Station
The office of the Federal Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal) is to play a coordinating role in addressing the issues of crime and anti-social behaviour around Brussels South Railway Station. By taking on the role of “coordinator” the Prime Minister office hopes to prevent the various authorities that are responsible for the station and its environs from passing the buck to each other.
On Monday the Brussels regional news platform Bruzz reported that the Federal Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal) had convened a meeting of all concerned parties to address the issue of crime in and around Brussels South Railway Station.
In recent weeks the long-standing issue of crime in and around the station has been in the media spotlight. At the end of last week, the CEO of the Belgian rail company NMBS Sophie Dutordoir used an open letter to call for measures to improve security and cleanliness at the station.
In the wake of Ms Dutordoir’s letter Mr De Croo took the initiative to invite representatives from the offices of the federal interior, asylum and migration and transport ministers, the government Brussels-Capital Region, the municipal authorities from Anderlecht and Sint-Gillis (where the station is located) and the rail company NMBS to a meeting about the situation in and around the station.
