Referring to the Belgian parliament’s chamber of representatives Herman De Croo (Flemish liberal), a former speaker of the Belgian lower house, has expressed surprise that “the most legal body in Belgium” could have awarded him anything illegal. Mr De Croo was speaking after it emerged that the office of the chamber, the body that runs the lower chamber and includes the current speaker and all floor leaders, discovered illegal payments had been made to former speakers and eight former top civil servants.
The payments were made in addition to pension payments. It’s understood Mr De Croo received around 6,000 euros extra a month. One of Mr De Croo’s successors, the N-VA’s Siegfried Bracke, received around 3,000 euros a month extra.
Moreover, today it was revealed that the payments had been introduced illegally. The arrangement was put in place in the nineties and has remained active till today. The practice only came to wider public knowledge after an investigation ordered by the current speaker.
It’s understood the payments will now be stopped and it will be examined if payments can be clawed back.
Mr De Croo said he acted in good faith and has asked the chamber authorities to investigate the matter. Mr Bracke is in South Africa and doesn’t want to respond till he has learned more about the situation.