The words of a Brussels politician accusing European Union officials of using drugs are creating controversy in the European capital. Specifically, it was Pascal Smet, the Belgian capital’s Undersecretary for Urban Planning, who said in a public hearing that “many people working for the European Union use drugs”. His comment was made on the occasion of a meeting with the European Commission’s Office of Infrastructure and Logistics (Oib) in Brussels last January 23, but this week by the well-known Eurobubble newspaper Politico. Accommodation of EU personnel. One of the topics of the meeting, which was closed to the press, was the relocation of the workplaces of some agencies to an area of the city that the community officials would not like.
In particular, there will be an area near the Gare du Nord train station that also has windows for prostitutes in the city: some of the community manager’s offices are planned to be handed over as part of a wider renovation project. The redevelopment project of the northern part of Brussels has been going on for some time, an area where it is more difficult to solve the traffic and poverty problems in this region than in other parts of the capital. From this perspective, the stable presence of some European offices in these long abandoned neighborhoods will enable a few workers (with their families) to settle in the area, thus contributing to the transformation of the area.
But that doesn’t seem to appeal to EU officials, instead of moving to a place famous for its high crime rate, low education levels and general poverty. Stating that cocaine is a popular drug among the employees of the institution, Smet’s accusation came, arguing that “Eurocrats” should not be so worried about moving to the northern part of the city. they are accustomed to “applications”. “Even in Schuman[EU agency district, ed.]they sell drugs… and it’s probably ‘not the same drugs they sell in the North area,’ but probably a little bit whiter,” Smet said.
The politician’s remarks infuriated the unions, who wrote a letter to Budget and Administration Commissioner Johannes Hahn, which they considered “unbearable” comments. “Mr Smet must retract this absolutely unacceptable statement,” said Cristiano Sebastiani, head of the Renouveau & Démocratie union (the largest union representing EU officials) and one of the signatories to the letter.
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, also responded to the remarks. His spokesman, Barend Leyts, told Politico that Smet’s words were “unacceptable”. “President Michel calls for respect for all men and women at the service of the European Union, especially in these challenging international times,” he said.
European Parliament president Roberta Metsola declined to comment on the matter, while others believe Smet faces more serious consequences. MEP Eva-Maria Poptcheva, a member of the Renew group, urged the politician to “apologise and resign”. To get out of the stalemate, the Brussels planning chief later told Politico that his comments were made as a joke; The meeting aimed to respond to hints from European officials that living in a community of potential drug traffickers would be difficult.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
