Belgian Federal Pension Service Demands Hundreds of Thousands Back from Brussels Attack Victims: 'They Are Panicking'

It has been ten years since the bombs exploded in Zaventem and Maalbeek, but for many victims, the nightmare is far from over. Today, they were hit with another devastating blow: the Federal Pension Service (the former Belgian Federal Pension Service) is demanding they repay hundreds of thousands of euros. As if the scars and trauma weren't enough, they now face an uncertain financial future. I have spent the last few hours speaking with several of those affected, and the despair is palpable.

A letter that turned their lives upside down

It all started with an official letter landing on their doormats. People like Mohamed, who was hit by shrapnel all over his body during the airport attack, thought the worst was behind him. For years, they received a so-called restorative pension from the Federal Pension Service, intended to compensate for their loss of income and permanent injuries. But now, out of the blue, the government agency has turned off the tap. Not only has the payment stopped, but they are also being forced to repay all the money they received over the past few years. For Mohamed alone, this amounts to more than 200,000 euros. "I haven't got that money anymore," he says, his voice cracking. "I used it to pay for my adapted home, therapies, medical bills. Do I have to sell my house now?"

How could this happen?

According to the Federal Pension Service, this is an "administrative correction." It appears that the restorative pensions continued to be paid out even while victims were also receiving other compensation, for example from the National Institute for Sickness and Disability Insurance or through court settlements. The agency claims there was double payment and that they are legally obligated to recover the funds. Legally, it might be correct, but morally, this is completely nonsensical. These aren't fraudsters; these are people who have been through hell on earth.

Victims in a state of distress

Panic immediately spread through victim support groups. Many have been living on a financial knife-edge for years, dealing with medical issues and psychological problems. And now this. Here's a glimpse of the reactions I heard:

• A mother who lost her daughter in the Maalbeek metro: she has to pay back 150,000 euros, money she will never be able to scrape together.
• A man who lost both legs: he used his pension to pay for prosthetics and now faces a massive debt.
• A young woman with severe brain damage: her guardian fears she will end up on welfare, as the care she needs is unaffordable without that pension.

They feel abandoned by the government that once promised they would be well taken care of. "We are victims of terrorism, and now we're victims again, this time of our own state," one person sighed.

What now?

Politicians have already called for the recovery demands to be stopped immediately. Questions are being raised in parliament to the Minister of Pensions. But for now, the Federal Pension Service is holding its ground: the law is the law. Yet, the realisation is beginning to dawn that this is an inhumane situation. How can you ask people who have survived hell itself to cough up hundreds of thousands of euros? Many simply don't have that kind of money, and a forced sale of their homes would mean another disaster. The coming weeks will show whether politicians will intervene. One thing is certain: these people deserve compassion, not a bailiff.