'First place they will bomb': Mayor opposes plan for defence factory in Forest
Turning the former Audi plant in Forest into a defence factory is "not a good idea", according to the mayor of the Brussels municipality. The factory, located just a few kilometres from the centre of Brussels, would be "the first place to be bombed in the event of a foreign attack", said mayor Charles Spapens.
The 54-hectare plant closed its doors at the end of February. Defence Minister Theo Francken is exploring whether the site could be converted into a factory for defence applications. Next week, Francken plans to visit the site with representatives from the defence industry to scope out the possibilities.
"I am against this idea, it does not benefit the inhabitants of Forest and Brussels," said Spapen on Friday. The mayor said he was aware that the world was in a difficult geopolitical context, but that was precisely why he opposed the plan.
'Enormous risks for Brussels'
"I am obviously not a geopolitical expert, but if an arms factory is built in the Forest area, it will also bring enormous risks for Brussels," said Spapen. According to the mayor, defence factories and industrial sites are the first targets in the event of a foreign attack.
"A factory directly linked to the arming of Belgium is not a good idea," said Spapen. "If we are talking about IT equipment or other technological components that could be useful for defence, it could be a different matter. I am not against that. But these factories should not be a war target," he said.
Spapens repeated that he was willing to work with the regional and federal governments to find a sustainable future for the factory that would benefit Brussels and Forest. "Industry and jobs are important to us. The future of the factory has to be secured and jobs have to be provided for 4,000 to 5,000 people," he said.
The Audi Brussels site in Forest, July 2024 © BELGA PHOTO JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE
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