A leaking roof delays compensation for bomb victims
In a cruel twist, victims of the horrific Brussels and Zaventem terror attacks from March 22, 2016, are facing yet another delay in their quest for justice and compensation. The highly-anticipated compensation hearing, originally scheduled for September 24, has been indefinitely postponed due to a dire shortage of staff and a crumbling courthouse in the town of Nivelles!
Brussels Court of Appeal president Laurence Massart broke the devastating news in a letter to the victims. She revealed that staff had to be redirected from Brussels to help their overwhelmed counterparts in Nivelles, where water damage and unsafe conditions plague the court building. With archives in shambles, the court simply couldn't proceed with the compensation ruling!
Victims and their families, who have been waiting for EIGHT long years, are understandably furious and heartbroken. Sanne De Clerck from victims’ group V-Europe lamented, "They were counting on September 24! This delay only adds to their torment." Chairman Philippe Van Steenkiste, who lost his sister in the attacks, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the urgent need for proper funding of the justice system, a cornerstone of democracy. “The victims deserve better!” he declared.
With no new date set for the hearing, the uncertainty looms large. Will justice ever be served? Time will tell, but for now, the victims continue to suffer in silence, waiting for the compensation they desperately need and deserve.