Queen Fabiola’s foundation not yet wound down

More than three months after Queen Fabiola announced that she would abandon her controversial Fons Pereos foundation, the widow of King Baudouin has not yet taken the first steps to do so, De Tijd reports today. This was confirmed by her solicitor, Jean Van Rossum. In January, Queen Fabiola issued a statement in which she said she regretted that the existence of the foundation had generated “misunderstandings and negative reactions”, adding that she was “deeply affected” by events. She explained that she had never intended to fund the foundation with money from her endowment, but with inheritance money from her family. She decided to seek the dissolution of the foundation, but three months on, nothing has been undertaken. “The process is slow because the decision to dissolve the foundation has not yet been ratified by the board of directors,” said Van Rossum. He hoped that the dissolution would take effect before the annual judicial holiday. Fiscal experts, however, say it is taking too much time. Tax lawyer Thierry Afschrift said: “Everything can be resolved in a week. It only requires the directors to agree and then notify the notary of their decision,” he said.