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Is there a Belgium? (1999)

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Re: Is there a Belgium? (1999)

#31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That could be the European expansion pack with Karel De Gucht for example ( tax fraud + european commissioner for trade), don't forget electrawinds, tecteo, ...

Not to nitpick, but, innocent until proven guilty? To accuse someone of tax fraud is morally repugnant, when both the facts and courts say otherwise. This isn't really a scandal, more of a personal matter (for him).

First of all: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_De_Gucht#Belastingontdui... ( dutch version) - here is more information then the censored english version.

And second, i "know" people who were pretty acquanted with the sale of the justice building in Furnes ( West - Flanders ), where Karel De Gucht was one of the so called secret investors and let's not forget who was closely involved with that: Yves Vanmaele.

There was a "documentary" on Terzake about him.. Where there is smoke, there is fire. But people who live nearby, see more smoke than others :)

It's hard to put in hard evidence, when politicians and judges shake hands and forgive each others sins without a trial. It's like bringing in kadhafi under the condition that he will be judged by his own friends ( to put it in the extreme).

I know personally 3 friends who's cases were influenced ( good or not) because of "Vanmaele" personally.

If you speak Dutch: http://nieuws.vtm.be/binnenland/90071-integraal-de-gewraakte...

I hate to say this stuff above, because it sounds so conspiracy like. But it's more like a well known secret in the West-Flanders. Everyone here knows, but why would you take a risk, with something you have no business with and agains very "powerfull" / influential people. ( judges, politicians, Trade Commisioner of the EU)

Edit: I'm watching the video again, it's practicly everything i'm saying here (although i mostly forgot about the video )

Re: Is there a Belgium? (1999)

#32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to nitpick, but, innocent until proven guilty? To accuse someone of tax fraud is morally repugnant, when both the facts and courts say otherwise. This isn't really a scandal, more of a personal matter (for him).

First of all: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_De_Gucht#Belastingontdui... ( dutch version) - here is more information then the censored english version. And second, i "know" people who were pretty acquanted with the sale of the justice building in Furnes ( West - Flanders ), where Karel De Gucht was one of the so called secret investors and let's not forget who was closely involved with that: Yves Vanmaele. There…

(I am Belgian and speak dutch)

Oh, I'm not saying everything is above board. That I agree with. However, I do have several wealthy friends who have, unreasonably, been harassed by the fiscal administration on certain matters. A lot of it is fishing to see if they can find something that sticks.

From what I saw in the media (we obviously don't know the exact details):

1. He invested in a company, many years ago.

2. He sold his shares, with a capital gain, which generally is tax free in Belgium

3. Some civil servant decided he wanted to interpret the law differently (and tax him), and he tried to make it stick. As far as I know, he failed.

The problem with Belgian tax law is that it's full of "maybe's", "ifs", and obscure undefined terms. That creates ambiguity in different matters and different cases. Like everything in Belgium.. :)

Re: Is there a Belgium? (1999)

#33
post #21

I'm from Belgium and I left when I was 21, 15 years ago. As much as I love my country and will never deny the fact that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for it, its laws and its freedom; I too am puzzled by it. The whole thing always felt like "here is a piece of land, no one really wants it, let's just make a country, and then divide it in half " (in thirds really, as Brussels thinks it's above it). I love Belgium fo…

> Sadly, it's been abused and walked over from every corner.

To be fair, Belgium has done its share of abusing (in which 10 million Africans were murdered and many more enslaved under Belgian imperialism): http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/35/181.html

Re: Is there a Belgium? (1999)

#35
There won't be for much longer. No state can remain independent in the Eurozone. Its survival will require more integration and centralisation. Time will tell whether this applies for other EU members who don't use the Euro. Just quite what the separatists hope to get from independence, I don't know. They won't gain more sovereignty from it. Then there's the issue of the police state experiment that was run last night. People were persuaded to drop their free speech in exchange for cat pictures. By and large people seem to have fallen for it.

Re: Is there a Belgium? (1999)

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First of all: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_De_Gucht#Belastingontdui... ( dutch version) - here is more information then the censored english version. And second, i "know" people who were pretty acquanted with the sale of the justice building in Furnes ( West - Flanders ), where Karel De Gucht was one of the so called secret investors and let's not forget who was closely involved with that: Yves Vanmaele. There…

(I am Belgian and speak dutch) Oh, I'm not saying everything is above board. That I agree with. However, I do have several wealthy friends who have, unreasonably, been harassed by the fiscal administration on certain matters. A lot of it is fishing to see if they can find something that sticks. From what I saw in the media (we obviously don't know the exact details): 1. He invested in a company, many years ago. 2. He…

He did not sell his shares the day before it insanely dropped. His wife and friends did, with presumeable insider trading secrets :)

I also have some wealthy friends, but they haven't been accused of that. None the less, Belgium is a lot of administration, i agree on that. And a lot of "you know me" politics also :)

Re: Is there a Belgium? (1999)

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(I am Belgian and speak dutch) Oh, I'm not saying everything is above board. That I agree with. However, I do have several wealthy friends who have, unreasonably, been harassed by the fiscal administration on certain matters. A lot of it is fishing to see if they can find something that sticks. From what I saw in the media (we obviously don't know the exact details): 1. He invested in a company, many years ago. 2. He…

He did not sell his shares the day before it insanely dropped. His wife and friends did, with presumeable insider trading secrets :) I also have some wealthy friends, but they haven't been accused of that. None the less, Belgium is a lot of administration, i agree on that. And a lot of "you know me" politics also :)

I think you're mixing things up. One of those cases was "abuse of power" related (the one you're bringing up), and the other one (share sale described above) was tax related.

Re: Is there a Belgium? (1999)

#40
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