Police unions disgruntled about luxury car puchase
The unions that represent those that work for the Federal Police Service are unhappy that the service has spent millions of euro on the purchase of dozens of armoured luxury cars. According to the daily ‘Het Nieuwsblad’, the vehicles are being purchased for the protection of foreign dignitaries.
The police unions told the paper that all together 49 cars are being purchased costing a total of 25 million euro spread over 7 years. The unions believe that the money could have been better spent.
Joery Dehaes of the Christian Trade Union ACV told the paper that “We have seen figures of 560,000 euro per car, while at the same time the Federal Police is being forced to make savings. The is a shortage of funding and of staff in every department and then we see that there is money to take foreign VIPs from the airport to their hotel”
"Op elke dienst is er een tekort aan middelen en aan personeel maar dan merken we dat er wel geld is om buitenlandse vips van de luchthaven naar hun hotel te brengen."
"But are 49 vehicles really needed to be able to do this? This is totally incomprehensible when you see how other departments have to work”, Mr Dehaes added.
The union also claims that the correct procedures have not been followed.
"A few weeks ago we asked to be able to look at the file containing details of the purchase. However, we haven’t received it yet. This is despite the authorities having an obligation to inform us as social partners in advance”.