Finance inspectors said no, yet the justice ministry helped pay for Verlinden's costly UN trip
A business-class flight from New York to Abu Dhabi cost 11,500 euros; her office calls her attendance essential, while the opposition is asking questions.
Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) flew business class from New York to Abu Dhabi at the end of September on a flight costing 11,500 euros, and had part of the travel costs paid by her administration despite a negative opinion from the Inspectorate of Finance. Le Soir reported this on Friday, after which La Libre, VRT NWS and De Morgen among others followed up. Verlinden was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly and travelled on from there to the UN congress on crime prevention and criminal justice in Abu Dhabi. According to VRT NWS, flights and hotels for her and an aide, who flew economy, cost 21,000 euros in total.
Her office lacked the budget because the government decided at the end of 2025 to cut spending on foreign trips by ministerial offices. For Verlinden that meant 49,000 euros less, according to VRT NWS, leaving an annual budget of 17,000 euros. The Federal Public Service Justice had to cover the shortfall; VRT NWS puts it at 15,000 euros, La Libre speaks of a requested increase of 12,000 euros. The Inspectorate of Finance issued a negative opinion, partly because the expense ran counter to the December 2025 decision to save money. Verlinden then turned to Budget Minister Vincent Van Peteghem (CD&V), who gave the green light on condition that the extra cost is fully offset elsewhere. He explicitly expressed no view on the usefulness or cost of the trip.
Verlinden's office says attendance at that level is essential in the fight against international organised crime. It points to cooperation with the United Arab Emirates: of the 45 serious criminals wanted internationally, 26 have already been extradited to Belgium, 22 of them since the start of this term, the office says, according to La Libre. It justifies business class by the tight schedule and an overnight flight of around twelve hours. The justice ministry says the imposed saving of 49,000 euros for 2026 has been achieved.
The opposition is critical. MP Arthur Orlians (Anders) tells VRT NWS it is unusual for a minister's official trip to be paid from the administration's funds, especially now that the minister is already under fire over the i-Police case. According to information obtained by VRT NWS, no other minister has taken a budget overrun on official travel to the budget minister during this term. PVDA is also questioning the travel costs.