Belgium minister of transportation
resigned on Friday, after the publication of leaked reports from the European
Commission warning of security deficiencies at Brussels Airport, the site of
two deadly terrorist bombings on March 22.
Prime Minister Charles Michel said
that King Philippe had accepted the resignation of the minister, Jacqueline
Galant, saying she had “undertaken several bold reforms,” and thanked her for
her service.
Ms. Galant came under heavy
criticism this week, with opposition lawmakers demanding that she go. She was
scheduled to face a tough parliamentary hearing on Friday afternoon.
The tipping point may have come on
Thursday, when Laurent Ledoux, the president of the Federal Public Service for
Mobility and Transport, resigned after saying he could no longer work for Ms.
Galant.
On Thursday night, Mr. Ledoux
supplied documents to the state broadcaster, RTBF, which appeared to show that
Ms. Galant had been notified of security problems at Brussels Airport, which
was targeted, along with the Maelbeek subway station, in assaults that left 32
dead, along with three attackers.
He openly accused Mr. Michel and Ms.
Galant of misleading the public by not acknowledging awareness of the reports.
Mr. Ledoux said that he had asked in
February for more employees and resources to tighten checks at Belgian
airports, but that Ms. Galant “systematically” disregarded those requests.
He also criticized the Belgocontrol,
the country’s air traffic control agency, whose staff members went on strike
shortly after the airport reopened in protest of plans to raise the age at
which employees may retire with pensions.
Belgium minister of transportation resigned on Friday, after the
publication of leaked reports from the European Commission warning of
security deficiencies at Brussels Airport, the site of two deadly
terrorist bombings on March 22.
Prime Minister Charles Michel said that King Philippe had accepted the resignation of the minister, Jacqueline Galant, saying she had “undertaken several bold reforms,” and thanked her for her service.
Ms. Galant came under heavy criticism this week, with opposition lawmakers demanding that she go. She was scheduled to face a tough parliamentary hearing on Friday afternoon.
The tipping point may have come on Thursday, when Laurent Ledoux, the president of the Federal Public Service for Mobility and Transport, resigned after saying he could no longer work for Ms. Galant.
On Thursday night, Mr. Ledoux supplied documents to the state broadcaster, RTBF, which appeared to show that Ms. Galant had been notified of security problems at Brussels Airport, which was targeted, along with the Maelbeek subway station, in assaults that left 32 dead, along with three attackers.
He openly accused Mr. Michel and Ms. Galant of misleading the public by not acknowledging awareness of the reports.
Mr. Ledoux said that he had asked in February for more employees and resources to tighten checks at Belgian airports, but that Ms. Galant “systematically” disregarded those requests.
He also criticized the Belgocontrol, the country’s air traffic control agency, whose staff members went on strike shortly after the airport reopened in protest of plans to raise the age at which employees may retire with pensions.
- See more at: http://tvcnews.tv/?q=article/belgian-transport-minister-resigns-over-security-reports-brussels-airports#sthash.fdUxUaII.dpuf
Prime Minister Charles Michel said that King Philippe had accepted the resignation of the minister, Jacqueline Galant, saying she had “undertaken several bold reforms,” and thanked her for her service.
Ms. Galant came under heavy criticism this week, with opposition lawmakers demanding that she go. She was scheduled to face a tough parliamentary hearing on Friday afternoon.
The tipping point may have come on Thursday, when Laurent Ledoux, the president of the Federal Public Service for Mobility and Transport, resigned after saying he could no longer work for Ms. Galant.
On Thursday night, Mr. Ledoux supplied documents to the state broadcaster, RTBF, which appeared to show that Ms. Galant had been notified of security problems at Brussels Airport, which was targeted, along with the Maelbeek subway station, in assaults that left 32 dead, along with three attackers.
He openly accused Mr. Michel and Ms. Galant of misleading the public by not acknowledging awareness of the reports.
Mr. Ledoux said that he had asked in February for more employees and resources to tighten checks at Belgian airports, but that Ms. Galant “systematically” disregarded those requests.
He also criticized the Belgocontrol, the country’s air traffic control agency, whose staff members went on strike shortly after the airport reopened in protest of plans to raise the age at which employees may retire with pensions.
- See more at: http://tvcnews.tv/?q=article/belgian-transport-minister-resigns-over-security-reports-brussels-airports#sthash.fdUxUaII.dpuf
Comments
Post a Comment