Today's Top Stories - September 4, 2012

Road tax more expensive for older vehicles

The new road tax being devised by the Flemish authorities will be more expensive for vehicles more than 3 years old, warns automobile association VAB. The association has asked Flemish finance minister Philippe Muyters to clarify the new measures as soon as possible. According to a survey conducted among 6,200 road users, 60% disagree with the planned tax reforms. Under the new regime, vehicles would be taxed according to gas emissions as opposed to engine capacity. The VAB estimates that this would prove particularly unfair for pensioners who typically have relatively old cars which they use very little (therefore emitting little CO2), but which they need in order to remain mobile.

New fine for insults in the streets of Brussels

The city of Brussels has introduced a fine of €75-€250 for verbally assaulting someone in public, a first for Belgium. The administrative fee for what is considered a 3rd category offence – minor physical assault, simple theft and disparaging remarks – came into force on September 1. “The idea is to bring an end to the impunity of these offences,” explained the mayor’s press officer, Nicolas Dassonville. Up to now, numerous complaints have not been followed up by the judicial system to avoid congesting the prosecution service. The mayor’s office hopes that the fine will deter people from making homophobic, sexist, racist and other offensive remarks in public.

Brussels mayor introduces road closure in reaction to PicNic protest

Brussels City mayor Freddy Thielemans has decided to close Boulevard Anspach to traffic everySunday  in September between 12.00 and 14.00, causing the mobility movement PicNic the Streets to shift the start of its picnic on September 9 to 14.00. The protest group is demanding more public spaces in Brussels and is calling for a ban on cars in front of the Bourse. It said that  closing Boulevard Anspach on Sundays for two hours showed there was no long-term ambition to improve mobility in the city. The movement added tht it would not obey the mayor’s decision and would continue to move the start of its semi-regular picnic if necessary. The first PicNic the Streets on June 10 brought 2,500 people to Boulevard Anspach.

Belgian Post returns to Belgian bikes

Belgian post office bpost has turned to a Belgian company to supply the pushbikes used by its posties, calling on the services of  bike manufacturer Granville, based in Kortenberg (Flemish Brabant). Granville will take over from German manufacturer Speedliner, whose Turkish-made bikes failed to win widespread approval. Bpost has a fleet of 3,000 bikes requiring constant replacing, and the first order from Granville is for 300 units. The new model, designed especially for bpost with help from the Free University of Brussels (VUB),  can support persons weighing up to 100kg and carrying up to 100kg’s worth of mail split into three mailbags. 

The venerable Huffington Post has fallen for a contestant on the VTM programme Belgium’s Got Talent, whose video has now become  a worldwide sensation. “If you wanted to start off your week with a middle-aged financial consultant dancing on a Belgian talent show,” the news website writes, “well, have we got the video for you! The crowd goes nuts as Gerrit Wellens, 48, does an enthusiastic interpretive dance to Sunny by disco group Boney M. using moves he picked up from his kids. If financial consulting doesn't work out for you, looks like you can explore a career in the dad dancing arts, Gerrit.”

Read the full article and watch the video on The Huffington Post.