Brussels [Belgium], February 14: A nationwide protest involving tens of thousands of demonstrators against the new government brought air traffic in Belgium to a standstill on Thursday.
With air-traffic controllers walking off the job, Belgian airspace was closed from 6.45am to 10.15pm (0545-2115 GMT) on Thursday, according to Brussels Airport, adding that no air traffic over Belgium is possible. According to police reports, 60,000 people in Brussels alone followed the call of several unions to stop work in protest against the new government's plans.
The unions said that 100,000 people were on the streets of the Belgian capital, according to the news agency Belga. They criticized the plan by the right wing-led government, which has been in office since last week, to scrap the automatic wage adjustment to inflation. Additionally, cuts in the billions of euros are to be made to pensions and the labour market. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune
