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Obama's visit costs Belgium €10 million
American President Barack Obama's visit to Brussels on Wednesday brings with it heavy security costs amounting to about €10 million, reports The Guardian. It is Obama's first visit to the institutions of the European Union, where he will meet with European President Herman Van Rompuy and the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso.
Obama arrives Tuesday night with a 900-strong entourage, including 45 vehicles and three planes. To secure the president’s routes to EU and Nato summits, Belgium has enlisted the help of some 350 police and military on motorbikes.
Although Brussels is used to welcoming foreign dignitaries, their cost is not comparable with the cost of Obama's visit. An EU summit, for example, comes with an average of €500,000 in extra security costs. "This time, you can multiply that amount by 20," Brussels Mayor Yvan Mayeur told the newspaper.
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I have no doubt that it will be expensive -- but what is the basis for the 10 million number, other than an off the cuff remark by Mayor Mayeur? I think this kind of thing should be substantiated before it is reported. There is far too much misinformation in the media!
for one man, that is nuts give the money to the poor instead; instead of putting it on the visit of Obama for a couple of hours or so it is so ridicolous
Agree with ADYEPJ. This figure has to be taken with grain (or more) of salt unless it can be officially proven. Sounds like political bla bla.
@ Adyepj,
On what are you basing your statement that it was "an off the cuff" remark? Have you read the entire Guardian article? Were you present at the interview?
What a waste of money!!
If the government want to spend that sort of money on non-essential services then we should have a referendum.
And then there's the disruption to traffic............