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Home , Bruno Tobback, De Standaard, Elio Di Rupo, Het Belang van Limburg, Het Volk (newspaper), Jo Lemaire

flandersfocus on THE DUTCH SPEAKING PART OF press review weekly, does not appear in July • number 28 • 3 July - 9 July

INTRODUCTION

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o s k u gotiations on the formation of a hings have not been going well re- Foreign Affairs Louis Michel, is in turn new government, is aiming for T cently for the Mouvement Réfor- considering moving to the European 20 July. On 7 July the sticking points that technical mateur (MR). Several weeks ago the Commission. PS Chairman Elio Di working groups had studied over the past week were listed. (8 July) summarises the party learned that it was being dumped Rupo is apparently prepared to offer key ones: tax cuts, for which the VLD is pressing, by the PS in all regional governments. him the commissionership of PS mem- building land policy, healthcare premiums, the ex- And recently there was also little com- ber in exchange for pansion of (free) bus and tram travel, direct elec- tions for mayors and obviously the budget, and forting news for the party from the Fed- chairmanship of the Chamber or more specifically the surplus that must be aimed for: eral Government. Its Finance Minister, and possible another state secretary 280 million euros in 2005, 366 million as the admin- , was forced to ac- (, 8 July). The Fran- istration wants or 443 million as the High Council for Finance wants. A second round of negotiations, the knowledge that the Council of State cophone newspapers so-called second reading, in which the negotiators had suspended the entire guarantee and and La Dernière Heure revealed the assign the budgets for each policy area, is also being sanction regulation for the lowest rate news. But according to VLD Party organised on the policy choices for which a consen- sus does already exist between the participating car- (6%) of the Fiscal Amnesty Act. That chairman , there is an tels of SP.A/Spirit, VLD-Vivant and CD&V/N-VA. And rate applies to fraudsters who want to agreement that the PS must first offer obviously there is the allocation of ministerial posts. legally launder their illegal or legal the commissionership to a Flemish Seen like this, the real negotiations are yet to start. Up to now there has simply been a lot of proposing, money by investing it for three years candidate. Finally, he is making no se- sounding out and noting. And of this, remarkably under specific conditions. Now the reg- cret of the fact that he himself is keen little has filtered through to the press. The press is ulation has been suspended, banks and on the post (FF). now experiencing first-hand that the open-debate culture of the Purples, with public debates in the the taxman can no longer impose con- press and rows on the street, has been buried once ditions. This is the fifth time that Reyn- BART BRINCKMAN/BERNARD BULCKE • and for all. The negotiators are playing their cards ders has had to touch up his Act. DE STANDAARD • 8 JULY close to their chests. Nor is it known which commu- nity demands the will take to The other MR figurehead, Minister for the forum on further state reform. Internal Affairs The possible departure of Louis Michel Minister Patrick Dewael made the first move in Het is clearly bad news for Premier Verhof- Belang van Limburg (3 July). A new state reform has a chance if the parties that form the Flemish (the stadt. The disintegration of his govern- three cartels) and Walloon (Christian Democrats and CONTENTS ment is accelerating. The figure of Socialists) Governments agree with each other. To- Michel is extremely important in the gether they have an ample two-thirds majority in the Chamber (102 out of 150 seats) that is required Politics government to give shape to the com- for amendments to the constitution. He is therefore 6 empty seats in 2 promises with the PS. Yesterday, there- advising to lay a list of wishes on the with war rhetoric in fore, there were again rumours that table and go and talk with the Walloon Govern- ment, since the PS also supports more powers for Flemish Parliament 2 with the disappearance of Michel, Di the regions. A condition for this, however, is that the Budget: Council for Finance calls for Rupo actually wanted to administer the parties defend the same thing at Flemish and feder- major savings 3 fatal blow to Verhofstadt’s government. al level, he added. In addition, the biggest opponent of any form of state reform, the Francophone MR of Thus preparations could be made for Louis Michel, is no longer indispensable. The party Economy and mobility 3 the arrival of Di Rupo at 16 Rue de la still sits in the Federal Government, but could easily Public transport enjoys success Loi (the Premier’s official residence, be replaced by the CdH, which would have the fur- ther advantage of restoring the symmetry with the in 3 ed.) and the entrance of the CD&V. But regional governments on the Francophone side. The Newspaper publishers are optimistic 4 that scenario was explicitly denied by European ambitions of Louis Michel could be an in- Employment and the fight against the PS. issued a com- dication that he is giving this scenario serious con- ageing 5 munication from the Tour de in sideration. If that happens, it will be impossible to prevent the CD&V entering the Federal Government which he labelled all rumours prema- and the position of Premier Verhofstadt becoming Justice and Integration ture and announced talks between the extremely unsteady, says (7 July). But if the Belgian police conducted house majority parties. The Belgian commis- MR stays, the CD&V will have to consider whether it is worthwhile breaking into the Federal Govern- search with Fourniret in 1996 6 sioner does not have to be announced ment, analyses the paper. Scenarios enough for a Growing racist violence 7 until after 22 July. particularly turbulent political autumn.

Culture Frank Vandecaveye | editor in chief Scandinavian design in 7 focus on • 3 July - 9 July 2004 • Number 28 2 POLITICS

FLEMISH PARLIAMENT changes in his Federal Government The six empty seats in the were unavoidable. But he wants that to happen in one Great Movement. new Flemish Parliament If it happens in stages, there is a risk that the difficult-to-alter picture will Federal Premier Verhofstadt (VLD) asked the members of his government to arise of an eroding Federal Govern- remain in the Federal Government for the time being ment, as the Flemish Government came across in the ministerial changes n 6 July the new Flemish Parlia- ly. Federal Premier Verhofstadt (VLD) shortly after the Federal elections of 18 Oment was installed. Of the 124 asked the members of his government May 2003. If his government is reorgan- members, 118 took the oath. Six chose to remain in the Federal Government ised in one go, Verhofstadt can give it not to. In the CD&V cartel these were for the time being. In his own words, by the necessary spin. With a strong new N-VA Chairman Geert Bourgeois and making this request he wants to pre- team and - who knows - a modified or CD&V Vice-Chairman Hendrik Bo- serve continuity in the Federal Govern- adapted federal coalition agreement, gaert, at SP.A-Spirit Federal Ministers ment and avoid the Palace or the insti- Verhofstadt can then talk of a new Frank Vandenbroucke and Bert Anci- tutions being misused in a scramble for start. aux and State Secretary Kathleen Van positions. In the end the majority par- The Great Movement is expected once Brempt and at the VLD State Secretary ties agreed to reorganise the Federal all regional governments are formed Vincent Van Quickenborne. According Government in one go, once all the re- and the pieces of the puzzle have fallen to De Tijd (6 July), the SP.A-Spirit cartel gional governments are formed. Only into place. SP.A-Spirit and the Parti So- had a plan to replace the Federal excel- then will the six absent MPs be given cialiste (PS) are already known to want lencies this week. Former Flemish the chance to take the oath in the Flem- to transfer a number of federal minis- Minister would appar- ish Parliament (FF). ters to the Flemish and Walloon Gov- ently replace Bert Anciaux in Trans- ernments, and vice versa. Just as clear is port, former Parliamentary Party Opinion that Premier Guy Verhofstadt and Vice- Leader in the Flemish Parliament Premier Patrick Dewael want to re- would replace Frank WIM VANDE VELDEN • DE TIJD • 7 JULY main in their jobs. This explains why Vandenbroucke in Labour and Pensions they are doing all they can to safeguard and Spirit Chairwoman Els Van Weert Verhofstadt was able with difficulty to the stability of the Federal Government would replace . avoid a scramble for positions, even as much as possible. That plan has been shelved temporari- though he knew that ministerial www.vlaamsparlement.be

FLEMISH PARLIAMENT Rompuy proclaimed aloud all the names of Vlaams Blok MPs who had Fighting talk from Blok chosen the Federal over the Flemish level. And he dug up a speech by mars opening session Dewinter in which the latter said exact- ly the opposite of what he was now say- If it’s war you want, it’s war you’ll get, Dewinter warned ing. Dewinter, who in his familiar blus- tering staccato climbed to an oratorical high point, appeared unsettled. VLD Parliamentary Party Leader Fran- he Flemish Parliament that was date because they are remaining minis- cis Vermeiren completed the attack on T elected on 13 June and installed on ters or are continuing to sit in the Fed- Dewinter with an engaging call not to 6 July amid great public interest looked eral Chamber. Of these, the Vlaams ‘subject the many new MPs to taking a appreciably different from its predeces- Blok has the most (5), ahead of the VLD walk with the truth straight away’. And sor. The Glass House welcomed as (4) and SP.A-Spirit (4). As leader of his he too had an e-mail from Dewinter in many as 43 newcomers. Only 56 MPs significantly swollen parliamentary his pocket, which contradicted his re- also sat in the previous Parliament. In party, which now occupies the entire cent address. Applause among the de- addition, around twenty MPs also made right wing of Parliament, Filip Dewin- mocratic parties, jeering on the benches the switch for the Federal Chamber or ter seized the opportunity to give the of the Blok. Senate to the Flemish Parliament. Parliament several warnings. As usual, Noteworthy: the Purple-Green parties he employed his familiar fighting talk www.vlaamsparlement.be made the fewest changes: among the (FF). 25-man parliamentary factions of both Liberals and Socialists, only 7 members LIESBETH VAN IMPE • • of each faction were replaced. For the 7 JULY Greens there is only one newcomer. The other 28 newcomers sit in the par- Dewinter did not accept that according liamentary factions of the Christian to some newspapers, the other parties Democrats, the N-VA and the Vlaams want to change the rules to reclaim Blok. Of the 43 newcomers, there are power from the Vlaams Blok. ‘If it’s war also 14 successors. They replace MPs you want, it’s war you’ll get.’ The other who do not wish to take up their man- parties put up a good fight. Eric Van

focus on FLANDERS • 3 July - 9 July 2004 • Number 28 POLITICS AND MOBILITY 3

BUDGET POLICY ROAD WORKS High Council for Finance Public transport to and from Antwerp calls for major savings in enjoys succes the fight against ageing he extra numbers of trains and The costs will apparently amount to 3.4% of GDP over the period 2003- T buses organised by the NMBS 2030. Because the government decided to increase healthcare expenditure and De Lijn as an alternative to cars to more quickly, a large part of these costs will be felt in the period and from Antwerp are a success. The 2003-2007 Railways have noted 4,500 to 5,000 extra users each day who choose the train above the risk of losing hours in longside the High Council for Em- care expenditure more quickly. In addi- traffic jams as a result of the road A ployment, the High Council for Fi- tion, the budgetary results for 2003, if works on the Antwerp ring road (FF). nance also presented its 2004 annual one-off operations are not taken into ac- report on 5 July. The Council for Fi- count, were worse than first stated. GUY MEEUSSEN • DE TIJD • 7 JULY nance submitted the report to the Fed- Even to achieve the relaxed target in eral Budget Minister Johan Vande Lan- 2007, the Federal Government will The increase in the number of cus- otte (SP.A) and the Federal Finance have to save 3 billion euros between tomers is evident on almost all lines, Minister Didier Reynders (MR) and to 2005 and 2007, says the High Council. but least so on those that serve the government negotiators Yves Leterme In the long term the HCF is standing by port. Leo Pardon, Director of Passen- (Flemish Government), its target of having a surplus of 1.5% of ger Transport at the NMBS, expects (Walloon Government and French GDP by 2011. This means that the re- this to increase over the coming Community Government) and Charles laxation of the target of 2007 must be weeks once the corporate subscrip- Picqué ( Government). In its entirely offset in the period 2008-2011. tions take full effect. Among others, report the Council urges adopting a Even after 2011 a surplus of 1.5% will BASF and Opel bought hundreds of strict budgetary policy to finance the have to be sustained for several years. rail tickets for their staff. costs of an ageing population. These On average, a car commuting to and costs will apparently amount to 3.4% The HCF expects the Flemish and from work contains 1.2 people. This of GDP over the period 2003-2030. Be- French Communities to use the extra means that the initiative of the cause the government decided to in- money they receive from the Lamber- NMBS takes up to 2,000 cars off the crease healthcare expenditure more mont Agreement to achieve a greater roads every morning and evening. quickly, a large part of these costs will surplus (Flanders) or a smaller deficit This provides the NMBS with extra be felt in the period 2003-2007. This (French Community) than had previ- revenue, and the additional costs are means that a saving of 3 billion euros is ously been agreed. For Flanders this in- met by the regional and federal gov- required over the next three years (FF). volves a sum of 163 million euros in ernments. In any event that is the 2005. agreement reached with the Federal MARK DEWEERDT/RENAAT SCHROOTEN A spokesman for the Flemish Govern- State Enterprises Minister, Johan • DE TIJD • 6 JULY ment yesterday called that a ‘unilateral’ Vande Lanotte, and the Flemish measure that is not appropriate simply Transport Minister, Gilbert Bossuyt, The HCF is adjusting its recommenda- because Flanders, in contrast to the says Pardon. tions for the medium term. Instead of a French Community, already has a low financial surplus for the joint govern- level of debt. ment (State, federal states, social secu- The cabinet of Federal Budget Minister www.werkenantwerpen.be rity, municipalities and provinces) of Vande Lanotte said that negotiations 0.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) were due to be held in the autumn on a in 2007, a surplus of 0.3% will suffice. revision of the target for the federal The HCF is thus following the Purple states for 2005. Verhofstadt II government, which in its coalition agreement of June last year re- www.plan.be laxed the budgetary targets for the peri- od 2004-2007. The High Council believes such a relax- ation is justified because according to the recent report of the Ageing Com- mission, the extra costs of ageing be- tween 2003 and 2030 are higher than had earlier been calculated (3.4 instead of 2.7% of GDP). A significant part of this increase will occur in 2003-2007, thanks to the gov- ernment’s decision to increase health-

focus on FLANDERS • 26 June - 2 July 2004 • Number 27 4 ECONOMY

PRESS GROUPS in the free paper Metro, which per- Newspaper publishers saw formed much better last year. The two Belgian business papers also things improve in 2003 took some telling blows in recent years. On top of the downturn in the stock Before 2003 things looked bleak in the newspaper sector: sales fell or stag- markets and the bursting of the Inter- nated, the price of paper peaked and income from advertising and employ- net bubble, they also had to deal with ment advertisements collapsed. the recent bank mergers. These merg- ers led to the disappearance of hundreds of bank branches and so to the cancella- fter several difficult years, news- ing loss of 6.17 million euros into an op- tion of a large number of subscriptions. A paper publishers were by and large erating profit of 2.56 million euros. The Thanks to strict cost controls Editeco, able to record better results in 2003. free newspaper Metro, 51% of which is which publishes L’Echo, was able to They can put this down to higher in- owned by Concentra, performed better keep its head above water in 2003. Uit- come from advertising and a stable pa- and the group’s costs were under con- geversbedrijf Tijd is slowly getting back per price, but also to internal reorgani- trol. on its feet, but was unable to get out of sation and higher prices. This positive Various groups cut costs drastically. In the red: its net loss shrank only slightly trend appears to be continuing this recent years this has been the case for, to 3.53 million euros. ‘2003 was a tran- year. Before 2003 things looked bleak in among others, the Flemish Publishing sitional year for us. The results re- the newspaper sector: sales fell or stag- Company (Vlaamse Uitgeversmaat- mained negative thanks to a number of nated, the price of paper peaked and schappij, VUM - De Standaard, Het exceptional elements, including the re- income from advertising and employ- Nieuwsblad, ). The VUM im- structuring and the cost of the Dutch ment advertisements collapsed. News- plemented a drastic restructuring investment journal Beursplein 5 (which paper publishers such as the VUM (De process, not without some difficulty. has since been disposed of) and invest- Standaard, , Het Today this appears to be bearing fruit: ments in the new paper,’ says General Volk), De Tijd and Francophone pub- last year it recorded a record profit of Manager of Uitgeversbedrijf Tijd, Hans lishers Mediabel and Rossel had no 10.11 million euros, due in part to in- Maertens, who is counting on getting choice but to thoroughly restructure creased sales. This also includes some back into the black this year. themselves (FF). of the results of the successful TV pro- For 2004, most publishers are fairly op- duction company Woestijnvis. The timistic, but stress that visibility is MICHAEL SEPHIHA • DE TIJD • 5 JULY VUM owns 40% of Woestijnvis. limited for the second half of the year. South of the linguistic border a similar The first quarter was good in terms of Last year the Press Group (De Persgroep phenomenon can be observed with the advertising income, the second less so. with De Morgen, Het Laatste Nieuws) Walloon VUM subsidiary Mediabel Job advertisements are again doing bet- remained by far the biggest newspaper (Vers L’Avenir) and Rossel (Sud Presse, ter. group in the country in operational ). Last year Mediabel sold 2.4% terms, with an operating result of 47.4 more newspapers and has implemented www.vum.be million euros, compared with 35.8 mil- two restructurings in the past five www.rug.be lion a year earlier. Admittedly, that fig- years. Rossel did not sell more papers, www.persgroep.be ure includes half the results of the but restructured its regional mainstay www.tijd.be Flemish Media Company (Vlaamse Me- Sud Presse and its flagship Le Soir. In diamaatschappij, VMMa), the umbrella 2003 Rossel’s results include for the organisation for the commercial TV first time the figures of the Francopho- channels VTM and Kanaal 2, youth ne business newspaper L’Echo, in broadcaster Jim TV and radio station Q- which it holds half the shares. The Music. The Press Group owns 50% of Press Group holds the remaining capi- the VMMa, which represents one third tal. Rossel also holds 49% of the shares of the media group’s total operating profit. The growth of the Press Group’s publishing activities was especially strong thanks to higher advertising CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF THE BELGIAN NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS IN 2003 costs, better sales and price rises for the (IN MILLIONS OF EURO) magazine Dag Allemaal and the daily newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. group turnover operating profit net profit In terms of net results, however, the 2002 2003 2002 2003 2002 2003 Press Group (23.8 million euros) has to concentra 166,33 163,74 -6,17 2,56 -21,11 23,80 concede to Concentra (Gazet Van de persgroep 293,10 334,30 35,80 47,4 19,50 23,80 Antwerpen, ), vum media 300,45 322,29 2,80 16,25 0,30 10,11 which was recently withdrawn from uitgeversbedrijf tijd 52,40 49,30 -3,13 -1,29 -3,65 -3,53 the stock exchange. As part of its rossel 225,11 242,94 -3,73 6,09 -8,52 6,94 ‘delisting’, Concentra sold its interest ipm 50,95 57,06 0,95 2,55 0,25 2,91 in the Antwerp holding company Al- editeco(1) 18,37 17,17 0,47 0,23 0,81 0,083 manij, boosting net profits to 28.48 mil- mediabel(2) 85,10 96,80 0,90 3,10 -0,20 0,004 lion euros. A year earlier Concentra had to swallow a net loss of 21.11 million mtm-metro(3) 4,10 7,10 -3,70 -1,51 -3,80 -0,87 euros. Concentra converted its operat- (1) acquired by rossel and de persgroep – (2) controlled by the vum – (3) 51% concentra and 49% rossel

focus on FLANDERS • 26 June - 2 July 2004 • Number 27 EMPLOYMENT POLICY 5

EMPLOYMENT ing to work discouraged. New end-of-career The figures are telling: this form of im- plicit taxation comes to more than 55% regulations necessary in Belgium, compared with an average of 30% in the other OECD countries. The average career of a Belgian man lasts 37 years, four years less than the According to the Chairman of the European average Council, Jan Smets, reducing this nega- tive incentive by 10 percentage points would force up the level of employment n Belgium, one in four people over seeking work to take part in training among those aged 55 to 59 by 1.5 to 3%. I the age of 55 are still working (26%). programmes; furthermore there are In this is on average four in ten. proportionally far more jobs available GUY TEGENBOS/JOHAN RASKING • The average career of a Belgian man in the care and services sector. And, DE STANDAARD • 6 JULY lasts 37 years, four years less than the above all, early retirement before the European average. As a result, the level age of 60 has been abolished. The High Council for Employment of employment (59.6%) in Belgium is There remains one major difference be- stresses that the consequences of age- also 4.6% lower than in Europe, corre- tween the labour markets of Denmark ing will not be the same in all regions. sponding to 300,000 jobs. For the High and Belgium. If in Denmark the average From a purely demographic point of Council for Employment it is abun- monthly salary of those aged 25 to 29 is view, the population of working age (18 dantly clear that the labour market for set to an index of 100, that of those aged to 64) will shrink much more quickly in the over-55s is experiencing a number 55 is 117. In our country this wage ten- Flanders than in . If the Flem- of difficulties, as a consequence of sion between the young and old ish working population is assigned an which a generous distribution of attrac- amounts to 146. Belgian over-55s are index of 100 for the year 2000, this will tive retirement packages over the last pricing themselves out of the market. rise to 102 in 2010 before rapidly falling decades took place. Older employees Above all, the report of the High Coun- and dropping below 100 from 2020, to a are too expensive in comparison with cil for Employment points to the exist- low point of 94 in 2030. their productivity, very little training is ing financial incentives to stop work In such a scenario the labour reserve in available for them and they are too im- early as the main cause of the low level Flanders will be far too small to be able mobile professionally speaking. In its of employment among the over-55s. It to fill all the open vacancies in firms 2004 Report the Council is therefore says: the financial losses involved in and organisations. That phenomenon is calling for sweeping structural reforms stopping work early are very limited; if already occurring in regions such as Ko- designed to raise the retirement age. early retirement is taken, the income is rtrijk, where French border-workers The High Council for Employment’s in- 80 to 85% of the final salary. For lower can make up for the lack of local (Flem- formation will be forthcoming if in the incomes, even becoming unemployed ish) job-seekers. This situation, which autumn, as announced, government is not prohibitive, with a payment ap- is linked to the economic climate, and social partners will negotiate over proaching 89% of the former salary. threatens to become a structure charac- possible reforms of the existing end-of- All sorts of calculations point to the teristic of the Flemish labour market career regulations (FF). same problem. What are the financial from 2010. benefits or disadvantages for employees By then, the greater mobility of Brus- GUY TEGENBOS/JOHAN RASKING • who continue working after they reach sels and Walloon job-seekers could well DE STANDAARD • 6 JULY 55? How much must they pay as pen- offer a solution. In Wallonia the work- sion contributions to social security ing population will grow to an index of Our country has 270,000 men and and how many additional pension 106 by 2010, and still be 102 in 2020. In women between the ages of 55 and 64 rights does this entitle them to? If the Brussels the available labour force will who have retired early, or 15% of their contributions are greater than the addi- be even bigger: the number of people age group. Almost 14% more have tak- tional rights acquired, it is implicitly aged 18 to 65 will continue to grow un- en early retirement or are unemployed not advisable to continue working. Re- til 2020, to an index of 110. (no longer looking for work). And tiring is then encouraged, and continu- www.meta.fgov.be 125,000 others are recognised as occu- pationally disabled, which is 6.7% of the age group. By 2030 the total population of Belgium 50 ESTIMATION OF AVERAGE CAREER OF A MALE EMPLOYEE (IN YEARS) will have increased by 600,000, but the 40 44.4 45.0 population of working age will have 43.5 42.0 43.2 43.9 44.3 41.1 40.5 39.7 41.1 39.9 30 36.9 37.2 38.0 fallen by 200,000. This impact of ageing 36.6 will become noticeable from 2010. To 20 cope with this, the level of employment will have to rise to at least 69%. But 10 that will require much greater partici- 0 pation on the part of all groups in the

labour market, not least the over-55s. U. K ITALY SPAIN

The High Council points to the exam- USTRIA GREECE FRANCE SWEDEN A IRELAND FINLAND BELGIUM DENMARK

ple of Denmark. There a ‘relatively gen- PORTUGAL UXEMBURG erous system of unemployment bene- L fits is linked to an active labour market ARAGE. EU. 15 THE AV policy’ and the obligation for those DS-INFOGRAFIEK | SOURCE:OESO (2003) AND CALCULATIONS NBB

focus on FLANDERS • 26 June - 2 July 2004 • Number 27 6 JUSTICE

CRIME napped and murdered an average of two Belgian state police con- victims a year. The series begins in 1987 and stops around 1990 or 1993. Af- ducted a search in ter that we have to wait until 2000 be- fore he strikes again and several reports Fournirets house in 1996 appear of the attempted rape and mur- der of an 11-year-old boy in Denmark in it goes without saying that after his failure in Jette, Fourniret must have 1999. realised that he had slipped through the eye of the needle If the French detectives did not make the connection, then it goes without saying that after his failure in Jette, ccording to De Morgen (5 and 6 light on statements by, among others, Fourniret must have realised that he AJuly), on 25 April 1996 Belgian po- Justice Minister had slipped through the eye of the nee- lice conducted a search of the house of (PS), who claimed that up to 2003 dle. And that he was better off lying low serial killer Michel Fourniret. This has everything pointed to Fourniret being a for a while. emerged from police documents in the model citizen. Dutroux case. The search was carried Nevertheless, the state police in Saint- out at the request of the French judicia- Hubert cannot be blamed. It was they ry in Reims as part of an investigation who immediately contacted the judi- into weapons he was alleged to have ciary in France in April 1996. That is stolen from a customs office in Givet, the moment when a rogatory commis- northern France in 1993. In 1994 one of sion is sent to Gedinne from Reims and the weapons was found in the car park the Belgian detective Vanesse searches of Jette university hospital, where Fourniret’s house on 25 April together Fourniret made a failed attempt to kid- with French detectives and questions nap a nurse. Two years later Fourniret his wife. Little, if anything, comes from tried to sell one of his remaining re- this operation. Fourniret and Olivier volvers to a circus artist, but a violent make non-committal statements and row ensued and the state police were describe the named Tarzan as a margin- called to the scene, and these immedi- al idiot. The Public Prosecutor’s Office ately notified the French police. That in Reims appears satisfied with this ex- ultimately led to a rogatory commis- planation. sion and a house search on 26 April. The further investigation into Four- (FF). niret’s involvement in the weapons robbery breaks down. No connection is DOUGLAS DE CONINCK • DE MORGEN • made with the other weapon that was 6 JULY discovered in Jette in 1994. Nor is any connection made with Fourniret’s In 1996 in Saint-Hubert, Wallonia, criminal past, who was convicted three Fourniret became embroiled in a furi- times in France between 1966 and 1983 ous row with a circus artist named for kidnapping, rape and assault and Tarzan over the sale of one of his re- battery. maining Givet revolvers. The state po- The fact that the pieces of the puzzle lice in Saint-Hubert were called to the did not fall into place is according to scene and seized the weapon. Fourniret Belgian police officers involved at the was indicted by the Dinant Examining time ‘primarily the fault of the French’. Magistrate Hanin for threatening be- In the final analysis the weapons rob- haviour, receiving and carrying an ille- bery in Givet was ‘their case’. In Brus- gal weapon. sels, Dinant and Saint-Hubert informa- The state police in Saint-Hubert dis- tion is alleged to have been regularly covered the origin of the weapon and passed on straightaway to the French immediately informed the Public Pros- authorities, although questions will ecutor’s Office in Reims, which sent a still be asked over the coming weeks. rogatory commission to Belgium with- ‘You have to wonder how the French in a week to search Fourniret’s house on police get to this stage in 1996, logical- 25 April 1996 (DM 5/7). However, no ly with Fourniret’s police record, and no logical links were made. Belgian detec- one takes the trouble to add his name to tives could not know that the weapons the endless lists of suspects in the many thief had a past as a kidnapper and unsolved kidnapping cases in Belgium rapist. Their French colleagues were as- at the time,’ says Jean-Maurice sumed to be aware of this, but it re- Arnould, lawyer of the parents of vic- mains unclear to what extent they tim Elisabeth Brichet. passed on information in 1996. The saga of the stolen weapons could Even though Fourniret was not ulti- well provide an answer to the one ques- mately tried for these facts, this is still tion that criminal lawyer Jef Vermassen a new detail, which casts a different asked on VTM news. Fourniret kid-

focus on FLANDERS • 26 June - 2 July 2004 • Number 27 INTEGRATION POLICY AND CULTURE 7

RACISM then beaten with sticks and iron bars. Increase in racist incidents One Chechen had to be taken to hospi- tal. According the organisation in Antwerp ‘Refugees Flanders’ a climate has clear- ly arisen in Flanders since the Vlaams jews in antwerp and muslims in asylum centre are victims of racist Blok’s election victory in which racists violence believe that they can take the law into their own hands. FF EDITOR estimated 1,000 complaints against Opinion racism the Centre receives each year. After an initial incident at the Talmoed Meanwhile, Leaders from the Jewish MATTHIAS DANNEELS • HET NIEUWS- High School in Wilrijk (Antwerp) on 24 and Moroccan Communities keep BLAD • 5 JULY June, a further five incidents have since harping on that the conflict in the Mid- been reported against Jews in Antwerp. dle East must not be brought to Everyone deserves an answer to the In some cases the attackers were young Antwerp. Thirty complaints appears question of where this senseless vio- boys of North African origin, but in one very few, but within the Jewish Com- lence is coming from, in what de- incident the aggressor was an East Eu- munity it is known that the complaints formed, numb brain it was born. But ropean, and in another a native was registered are merely the tip of the ice- we must still ask the question. Because recognised firing blanks (with a toy pis- berg, claims De Standaard (3 July). In this is no isolated incident. This is the tol). particular, the easily identifiable ortho- violent emanation of an overheated cli- Antwerp’s Mayor, , ex- dox Jews are victims of spitting and mate against which it is impossible to pressed his concern, but his spokesman jeering on a daily basis. give enough warning. It is not right to also points out that the mostly light in- point the finger at the government - al- cidents are also the result of the call by Last weekend it was the Muslims from though we are all good at doing so. This the mayor to report any form of anti-Se- the open asylum centre in Ranst near all has to do with the erosion and aban- mitic violence (De Morgen, 3 July). Antwerp who were the victims of racist donment of the most elementary social And yet it is remarkable that in both violence. In the night of 2 and 3 July rules, with holes in our sense of values. 2002 and 2003 the Centre for the Fight four masked, Dutch-speaking men The big words have gone: education, against Racism registered around thirty broke in and asked each of the asylum- civilisation, tolerance and respect for reports of anti-Semitism, while there seekers in turn whether they were Mus- all. has already been that number in the lims. Those who answered yes were first half of 2004. Nevertheless, the 30 told by the attackers that they should www.antiracisme.be complaints appear few compared to the go back to their own country and were

DESIGN cured the reputation of Scandinavian design abroad and as such is housed in 50 years of Scandinavian the historical section ‘Constructing Scandinavian design’. design in Ghent The historical section ‘Symbols of modernity’ contains, among other things, the international stars of the colourful and kitschy plastic pop design candinavian design, which caused a them. Instead of again exporting the from the 1960s: in particular the Dane S furore in the 1950s with group exhi- cast-iron image and homogeneous pic- Verner Panton, with his revolutionary bitions abroad, conquered the world in ture of old, they are highlighting mutu- sleigh chair from 1959 (the first indus- record time. Functional, simple, dis- al differences with the 120 selected ob- trial plastic chair ever made from a sin- creet, beautiful and yet affordable, this jects. gle material, a single piece and in a sin- consumer design par excellence man- The result looks like an extensive self- gle injection process). aged to embody the modern social and examination. Gone is the glorified ideal The most important section of the exhi- democratic ideals of the affluent post- image. There is plenty of space for frag- bition is the contemporary one, which war society. Half a century later the five mented reality and for key questions. focuses on ‘The new millennium’. Scandinavian countries (Iceland, Den- Does Scandinavian design actually ex- There is also no classic division by mark, Norway, Sweden and Finland) are ist? What is left of the myth? country here. In an increasing context of again seizing the initiative to embark Widar Halen, Chief Conservator of the globalisation, the creators find the em- on a world tour with a large-scale exhi- Museum for Decorative Arts and De- phasis on national character outmoded. bition. Until 19 September it is the sign in Oslo and also curator of the ex- In creating the exhibition, Widar Halen guest of the Ghent Design Museum hibition, is sure that the objects will was assisted by prominent design spe- (FF). speak for themselves. He illustrates cialists from the four other participating DE STANDAARD • 7 JULY this with the glass Apple by Ingeborg countries. One of these is Henrik Most. Lundin for the Swedish Orrefors – a He is project manager for the Danish Instead of showering the birthday boy classic example of mythical Scandina- Design Centre in Copenhagen and was with flowers, it is especially striking vian design. The Apple was seen for the responsible for the Danish selection. how the creators are trying to put their first time in 1957 at the Milan Trien- He feels that the often-repeated stories glorious collective design past behind nale and is one of the objects that se- of the good old 1950s pollute the atmos-

focus on FLANDERS • 26 June - 2 July 2004 • Number 27 8 CULTURE phere for young designers. clutter. The inventors of good design ‘This myth was disseminated by a self- came to tell others what they should satisfied, moralistic taste police. The find beautiful and how they should houses of ordinary people had to be live.’ cleared of any vulgar kitsch and popular WWW.IMUDESIGN.ORG

• 17 to 26 July: Gentse Feesten, Festival in the EXPO city centre with street theatre, acts, perfor- Diary mances, concerts on different places; info: • Until 28 August: The Realm of the Dragon, www.trefpunt.be exhibition, St Pietersabdij, Ghent • 17 to 26 July: Polé Polé Ghent with Gabriel • Until 17 October: Animals in Architecture, Rios, Los Bombenos, Los Carios, Tune, Yusa, Museum of Architecture, Brussels MUSIC, DANCE, THEATRE Bonson, Dushi and others; Ghent; info: • Until 5 September: Speaking Sculptures, the www.polepole.be Songye, Museum of Africa, Tervuren; • 11 July: Vlaanderen feest and De Gulden • 18 to 25 July: Kneistfestival with Admiral info: www.afrikamuseum.be Ontsporing (The golden lapse), Celebration day Freebee, Urban Trad, Flip Kowlier, The magnifi- • Until 3 October: Marcel Breuer, Design & Ar- of the , Brussels with con- cent 5 and Praga Khan; Knokke-Heist; chitecture, exhibition CIVA, certs in the Ancienne Belgique, the Brussels info: www.knokke-heist.be Brussels; info: www.civa.be Parliament, De Markten, The Music Vilage and • 23 July to 5 August: Klinkers Festival Bruges • Until 22 August and 5 September: SMAK ex- Brass band parades and street theatre acts; Final with Sidestepper, Band Azuaifo, Joanna Ame- hibitions: Juan Uslé, Open Rooms and Sam Du- party on the Grande Place with Laïs, Admiral doeira, Manuel Reyes y Grupo, Riccardo Tesi, rant with ‘12 Signs. Transposed and illuminat- Freebee, Jo Lemaire and Boudewijn De Groot; Eugenio Benaato and Ladysmith Black Mam- ed, Ghent; info: www.opbrussel.be bazo, Bruges; info: www.brugge.be info: www.smak.be www.vlaanderenfeest.be • 29 July to 1 August: Sfinks Festival (world • Until 1 August: The invention of Landscape, • 17 July: Summertime: Piotr music, carribean, african) with Mory Kante, exhibition, Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Anderszewski, piano with Bach and Chopin, Coco Ralado, Nau de Icaros, Agushevi Brass Antwerp; info: www.rubens2004.be Concertgebouw Bruges; Band, Sutrafunk, Palo Flamenco, Globesonic & • Until 22 August: Flee from the War, historical info: www.concertgebouw.be The Shakti Spirit Dancers, Lhasa, Pietra Mon- exhibition, Flanders Fields • 24 July: Summertime with Toots Thielemans tecorvino, Arianna Savall, Laurence Revey and Museum, Ypres Quartet, Concertgebouw, Bruges; info: many others, Boechout; info: www.sfinks.be • Until 31 July: the Brueghel track: exhibitions www.concertgebouw.be • 30 July to 8 August: Lokerse Feesten with on locations in Bruegel’s paintings, Brussels • 27 July: Musica Antiqua: Festa Veneziana, I Krezip, Simple Minds, , 2 Many DJs, • Until 5 September: Sam Durant, 12 Signs, Fagiolini, Concertgebouw, Bruges; info: Hooverphonic, & The SMAK, Ghent; www.concertgebouw.be Grooms, Paul Weller, Jools Holland and many info: 09/221.17.03 www.smak.be • 1 August: Musica Antiqua: Helsinki Baroque others, Lokeren; info: www.lokersefeesten.be • Until 26 September: Olympic Games for an- Orchestra conducted by Aapo Häkkinen, Con- • 5 to 7 August: Dranouter Folkfestival with nimals, Museum of natural sciences, Brussels; certgebouw, Bruges; info: www.concertge- Arid, Calexico,2000 Monkeys, Tom Barman, info: 02/627.42.38 www.natuurwetenschap- bouw.be Albion Morris Men, Black Drifters, Goran Bre- pen.be • 2 August: Musica Antiqua: Il Fondamento govic, Sarah Bettens, The Chieftains, Venus in • Until 26 September: The Thomas Neyrinck conducted by Paul Dombrecht, concerts for Flames, Orchestre Baobab and many others; Collection, exhibition, Belleveumusea, Brus- Harpsichord by Bach, Concertgebouw, Bruges; info: www.folkdranouter.be sels; info: 070/23.37.28 info: www.concertgebouw.be • 11 to 17 August: Paulusfeesten, Ostend • Until 18 August: Honoré d’O and Toon • 6 August: Musica Antiqua: Akademie für • 13 and 14 August: Antilliaanse Feesten, Tersas, Muhka, Antwerp; info: www.muhka.be Alte Musik, Berlin with Telemann, Vivaldi, Hoogstraten with Gilberto Santa Rosa, Ivan Vil- • Until 27 September: The fall of the New Troy, Keiser and Bach, Concertgebouw, Bruges; lazon, Carimi, Awilo Longomba, Gabriel Rios, exhibition Venetiaanse Gaanderijen, Ostend; info: www.concertgebouw.be Squadra Bossa ft Buscemi, Fruko y sus Tesos, info: 059/56.20.15 Aventura, Gruppo Mania, Ska Cubano, Issac • Until 3 October: Armando, exhibition, Muse- Delgado and many others; info: www.antilli- um Constant Permeke, Jabbeke SUMMER FESTIVALS aansefeesten.be • Until 12 September: Copyright Rubens, • 13 to 15 August: Marktrock with KMSK, Antwerp; • 9 to 11 July: Cactus Festival with Macy Gray, Hooverphonic, Axelle Red, Triggerfinger, Mon- • Until 29 August: Not Done!, exhibition, Patti Smith, Elvis Costello, Heather Nova, Ser- za, Arsenal and many others; info: www.mark- MUHKA, Antwerp; gent Garcia, trock.be info: www.muhka.be Minnewaterpark, Bruges; • 19 to 21 August: Pukkelpop with Faithless, • Until 29 August: Unvarnished, photo exhibi- info: www.cactusmusic.be Offspring, Groove Armada, Dandy Warhols, tion by Carl De Keyzer, PMMK, Ostend; info: • 15 to 25 July: Blue Note Festival, Neneh Cherry, Roger Sanchez Chemical Broth- www.pmmk.be Bijloke, Ghent, Jazz with Joe Lovano Quartet, ers, dEUS, Stereo MC’s, Roni Size, The White • Until 29 August: Vic Gentils, John Mc Laughlin, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Zap Stripes, 50 Cent, Soulwax,Goldfrapp, Lamb- exhibition; PMMK, Ostend; Mama, Branford Marsalis Quartet, Wynston chop, Franz Ferdinand and many others; info: info: www.pmmk.be Marsalis & The Lincoln Jazz Orchestra, Marc www.pukkelpop.be • Until 30 September: Witslag, Roger Raveel- Moulin and others; info: www.bluenotefesti- • 20 to 28 August: Reiefeest 2004, open air museum, Machelen-Zulte val.com event, Bruges; info: www.reiefeest.be • Until 19 September: Scandinavian design, ex- • 16 to 18 July: Belgium Rhytm & Blues Festi- hibition, the story behind the myth’, Ghent De- val, Peer (Limburg) with Bonnie Raitt, Tony Joe sign Museum; White, Durango, The Strikes and others; info: info: www.imudesign.org www.brbf.be • Until 5 September: International Cartoonfes- • 16 to 26 July: 10 Days Off: DJ-festival with tival Knokke-Heist with cartoon competition, live actis in De Vooruit, Ghent; info: press cartoons from Belgium and the Nether- www.vooruit.be, www.10daysoff.be lands, Lagunahal, Duinbergen; info: la fland ur re www.knokke-heist.be s • s f u o c c o u f s

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k Cauwelaert (director Knack), Wim Coessens (Man- u • Responsible editor: aging director, De Morgen), Frans Crols (Director, Luc Demeester, Marke Trends), Francis Decoster (Information Officer, • Subscription rate by post and e-mail: 220 euro Flemish Community), Mark Deweerdt (Journalist, Focus on Flanders provides a weekly • Either transfer the sum to account no.: Financieel-Economische Tijd), Michael Stabenow 472-1010001-19 with the KBC in Roeselare overview of articles from the Flemish press (Correspondent, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung), Or give us the number and expiry date of your cred- Luc Standaert (Journalist, Belang van Limburg), Jan and appears in English, French and German. it card (Visa/Eurocard): Van Doren (Deputy Director, Vlaams Economisch This newsletter is published Telephone: 051/42.42.99 Verbond), Bernard Bulcke (De Standaard) Fax: 051/40.11.52 •With thanks to: Concentra nv, De Vlijt nv, de by Uitgeverij Lannoo nv, E-mail: [email protected] Vlaamse Uitgeversmaatschappij nv, De Persgroep Kasteelstraat 97, 8700 Tielt nv, Uitgeversbedrijf Tijd nv and Roularta Media and can also be obtained Group nv and their editorial teams for supplying the articles. by e-mail.

focus on FLANDERS • 26 June - 2 July 2004 • Number 27