BELGIUM: BELGIUM'S CENTRE-LEFT COALITION GOVERNMENT SURVIES A JOINT OPPOSITION MOTION OF NO-CONFIDENCE

Record ID: 496471

  • Title: BELGIUM: BELGIUM'S CENTRE-LEFT COALITION GOVERNMENT SURVIES A JOINT OPPOSITION MOTION OF NO-CONFIDENCE
  • Date: 29th April 1998
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (APRIL 28, 1998) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. TV PARLIAMENT IN SESSION (4 SHOTS) 0.22 2. SV OPPOSITION LIBERAL SPOKESMAN DIDIER REYNDERS SAYING WE HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT, ON THE CONTRARY WE ARE VOTING FOR THIS NO CONFIDENCE MOTION WHICH WE SUBMITTED LAST WEEK BECAUSE WE THINK THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE NEEDED TO CARRY OUT REFORMS (FRENCH) 0.42 3. TV/CU DEPUTIES VOTING WITH ELECTRONIC BUTTONS / PRESIDENT OF CHAMBER CALLING FOR VOTE / DISPLAY SHOWING VOTES ON FLOOR PLAN / DISPLAY WITH VOTES IN FIGURES (9 SHOTS) 1.39 4. SV GINO RUSSO PREPARING FOR INTERVIEW 1.44 5. MCU RUSSO SAYING THAT'S SUFFICIENT IN TERMS OF DUTROUX'S ESCAPE, BUT IT'S OUT OF PROPORTION. WHEN THEY FOUND MY DAUGHTER AND THE OTHER MURDERED CHILDREN, NO ONE RESIGNED AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ANYONE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. NOW BECAUSE DUTROUX ESCAPED FOR A FEW HOURS, TWO MINISTERS AND THE HEAD OF THE GENDARMERIE HAVE RESIGNED. I'D LIKE THE HEADS OF OTHER SERVICES WHO HAD REPONSIBILITY IN THE DEATHS OF THE CHILDREN TO EXAMINE THEIR CONSCIENCES AND RESIGN TOO. (FRENCH) 2.22 6. SV BELGIAN POLICE CHIEF WILLY DE RIDDER ARRIVING FOR PRESS CONFERENCE/MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 2.44 7. MCU DE RIDDER ANNOUNCING THAT HE HAS HANDED IN HIS PAPERS (RESIGNED) TO PRIME MINISTER JEAN-LUC DEHAENE AFTER CONSULTING WITH OTEHR MINISTERS (FRENCH) 3.25 8. CU PHOTOGRAPHERS PAN TO PRESS CONFERENCE 3.37 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 14th May 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium
  • Reuters ID: LVA72VKSUEWUN95R09I1PXWK4P0V
  • Story Text: Belgium's centre-left coalition government has survived a joint opposition motion of no-confidence put before the parliament.

    Sixty-four deputies on Tuesday (April 28) voted for the opposition's no-confidence motion, 81 voted against and one abstained - a majority of 17.

    The motion was prompted by a bungled police operation which let the country's most notorious criminal Marc Dutroux escape custody and briefly roam free last Thursday before being recaptured.

    The government pleaded for support in order to allow it to put into place reforms of the police and judiciary recommended because of earlier failures in the Dutroux case.

    Dutroux, a convicted paedophile, is being held in connection with the abduction, rape and murder of four young girls and the kidnap of two more.Two cabinet ministers resigned last week and, on Tuesday, Dehaene announced that police chief Willy De Ridder had also stood down.

    Gino Russo, whose daughter Melissa was one of Dutroux's alleged victims, said it was strange that Dutroux's escape had provoked three resignations, when no one had taken responsibility for her death and those of the other children.

    Russo said Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene had made clear his government had to continue because of European economic and monetary union, and that this was considered more important than the lives of children.

    Belgian police chief Willy De Ridder who is under fire following the Dutroux affair said on Tuesday (April 28) that he had handed in his papers to the Prime Minster- and that it was now up to the government to decide his fate.

    Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene confirmed that police chief Willy De Ridder had resigned.

    De Ridder headed the national gendarmerie, a police force fighting national crime and responsible for guarding and transporting criminals.

    Dutroux made his getaway last week after overpowering one of only two guards accompanying him on a visit to court in Neufchateau in southern Belgium.

    De Ridder spoke after the parliamentary debate saying that it was not the police system that was sick and that he had taken his decision in good faith and in good conscience.
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