Ostend (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): The Ostend city council has paused decisions on the Thermae Palace renovation due to legal issues and potential conflicts of interest, delaying progress until after municipal elections. Dement, a heritage group, is urging the governor to end the current agreement to facilitate new management.
The Thermae Palace case in Ostend has been stuck in legal and money problems for years, focusing on how to manage and renovate the historic seaside hotel. Recently, it was revealed that there might be a conflict of interest with some important people involved. This has made the situation even more complicated, raising worries about fairness and the influence of private interests. Because of this, the Ostend city council decided to pause any decisions about the hotel until after the upcoming municipal elections. This is to avoid claims of bias and ensure that decisions aren’t affected by the election atmosphere.
What actions has the city council taken regarding the Thermae Palace case?
Besides stopping decisions, the city council has also decided not to talk about the case publicly. They are aware of the legal and political sensitivities involved. By doing this, they want to avoid making the issue a hot topic before the elections, so new decisions can be made without the pressure of political campaigning. It has been said that the future of the Thermae Palace is unclear because the council’s decision has put everything on hold, and any updates will come after the elections.
The heritage group Dement is frustrated with the slow progress and lack of clear information about a building they care about that is falling apart. Guy Servaes from Dement says that people are expecting clear answers and more openness from those in charge. He points out that the building’s condition is getting worse and that urgent action is needed. The delay in starting the necessary work is causing more worry, as the situation can’t be put off for years. That’s why Dement is asking the governor to end the agreement between the city, the hotel operator NV Restotel, and the Flemish Participation Company. They believe that if the agreement is canceled, new chances will come up to start over with responsible people. If the governor doesn’t agree, Dement plans to ask Audit Flanders to check if everything was done fairly because they are worried about how the situation has been handled.
