Denis Ducarme raised the issue of federal funding for Brussels security this Thursday in the Chamber's plenary session.
“In 2023, Minister-President Vervoort refused to account for €2,280,000 in spending originally intended for a Brussels cyber centre that never saw the light of day. It is essential to know what this federal grant was actually used for. Funds dedicated to the safety of Belgians must not be diverted. This is all the more serious given the current climate,” said MR federal MP Denis Ducarme indignantly.
Other expenses were also mentioned, whose link to security and prevention duties appears uncertain: operating costs, routine materials, social-type expenditure or municipal initiatives not directly related to protecting citizens. Funds that should have gone towards strengthening police zones, emergency services, prevention, the fight against drug trafficking, or securing public spaces.
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin acknowledged the current limits of federal oversight. “Since 2017, this has been a grant rather than a subsidy. I therefore cannot know all the ins and outs or the exact details of the spending. Nevertheless, I have asked the administration for a report to bring full clarity.”
The MR group in the Chamber will request hearings in the Interior Committee to hear from the relevant administrations, the Finance Inspectorate, Brussels Prevention & Security, and the competent political officials.
“Parliamentary oversight has been lacking for far too long. We want to shed full light on this utterly reckless management of public money and ensure that federal funds earmarked for security are, in future, strictly used for their essential purpose: guaranteeing everyone's safety,” Denis Ducarme concluded.