Europe

Belgian transport minister resigns over airport security row

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Belgium’s transport minister has resigned over accusations she ignored EU reports of security failings at an airport in the capital Brussels that was attacked last month.

“Transport Minister Jacqueline Galant has offered her resignation to the king, which was accepted,” Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said after a cabinet meeting on Friday.

On March 22, three bombings happened in Brussels’ main airport and a metro station. Thirty-two people were killed and over 300 others were wounded in the attacks claimed by the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group.

Police and soldiers carry out searches on people entering De Brouckere metro station in Brussels on March 24, 2016, two days after attacks at Brussels airport and a metro station that left 32 people dead. (AFP)

The EU reports pointed to security lapses at the Belgium’s airport, which were identified by inspectors last year. Galant denied seeing the report, which had warned that a terrorist attack on the Belgian airport “was no longer hypothetical.”

The minister’s resignation came a day after that of Belgian federal transport agency chief Laurent Ledoux, who accused Galant of incompetence and lying about not having seen the reports.

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