Asse (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Halle-Vilvoorde prosecutor’s office, split between 2 poor buildings in Asse, faces staff shortages (17% vacancies), funding issues, and lacks resources, urging urgent reform and more support.
As VRT News reported, the Halle–Vilvoorde prosecutor’s office began in Asse, a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium, in 2014 and has faced difficulties since its start. They face a shortage of resources, including money and staff, and their infrastructure is poor. The office is split between 2 locations.
One part is in an old police building, and the other is more than a kilometre away in a former nursing home. These buildings are considered inadequate, with staff describing the work environment as similar to a “squat.”
Is Halle-Vilvoorde justice at risk due to staff and budget woes?
According to officials, the prosecutor’s office also has problems with a shortage of staff. Some areas in Brussels don’t have anyone in charge, and the courts in Brussels and Halle-Vilvoorde don’t have permanent leaders. Despite these problems, the office still works on things like bike theft, violence at home, road safety, and environmental crimes.
They mentioned that because it’s near the Zaventem airport, they also look into serious crimes like drug trafficking and smuggling of animals, sometimes involving airport workers. But, because they don’t have enough staff or good buildings, they need to make big changes and get more money to help the justice system work better.
The prosecutor’s office in Halle-Vilvoorde is very worried about the justice system. They say the pension changes are the last straw. They know Belgium has money problems, but they don’t want justice to suffer. A spokesperson said they will help with money, but not if it affects the justice system.
They are worried about changes to pensions for judges and staff. They say this is happening after years of not having enough money, bad buildings, and not enough people to do the work. They are worried that justice will become too difficult to provide.
According to officials, the public prosecutor’s office wants more than just better pensions and working conditions. They also need other important things. They don’t have enough staff, with over 17% of positions empty, which makes it hard to do their jobs well. They also want more police and a special centre to help victims of sexual violence.
They are worried because they don’t have enough money to pay people like doctors and interpreters on time. Even with all these problems, the office says it will keep helping people in the Halle-Vilvoorde district. They say they are committed to providing service. They want real changes and more money to make sure justice works fairly and well.
