Belgium: Transport, public services disrupted due to strike against planned public spending cuts

Brussels, Oct 14 (IANS) Transport and public services in Belgium were disrupted due to a national general strike on Tuesday. Police has also reported several arrests following vandalism, arson and clashes with protesters in Brussels, reports indicated.

The strike, led by Belgium's main trade unions, is being held against planned public spending cuts by Flemish nationalist Bart De Wever's coalition government, the Euro News reported. Several strikes have been held in Belgium since PM Bart De Wever assumed office in February as the head of a mainly right-wing coalition that has called for reforms in pension and labour market.

The latest strike has led to severe delays and cancellations of services which has impacted tens of thousands of travellers in Belgium. All departing flights have been grounded at Brussels South Charleroi Airport and Brussels Airport in Zaventem and all flights that were scheduled to arrive at Charleroi have been cancelled.

Most of metro, bus and tram lines were not operating in Brussels as a protest march moved through Brussels, according to local media reports. Suspension of public services like rubbish collection were announced before the strike.

Strikes were also taking place in all the prisons of Belgium on Tuesday. Police has been deployed for security and ensuring that basic needs are met, while the Red Cross is helping to distribute meals to prisoners, Euro News reported citing the Brussels Times.

Police has said that arrests were made after small fires were started near the small Brussels ring road. Riot police also intervened during demonstrations in the city centre, as some masked protesters clashed with the authorities. As per local media reports, several people were injured while several participants were arrested.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever was forced to postpone his 'State of the Union' speech in the Federal Parliament on Tuesday after his government was unable to agree on its federal budget in time, The Brussels Times reported.

Even after holding talks over the weekend, the cabinet meeting on Monday morning ended without an outcome as the so-called Arizona coalition tries to agree on both its 2026 budget and the multi-annual budgets

Over the past few weeks, Bart De Wever has found himself isolated among his government coalition after proposing reduction in spending to plug more budgetary holes, especially after calling for freezing automatic wage indexations and harmonising VAT rates.

--IANS

akl/as