The Belgian Transport Minister resigned on Friday after accusations that she lied about an EU report which criticised the security measures at Brussels Airport a year before the Islamic State suicide bombings that took place on 22 March.
In a formal confirmation, the Royal Palace said that King Philippe accepted the resignation of Jacqueline Galant.
A day earlier, Prime Minister Charles Michel had defended Galant, who is from his own centrist party in the coalition government, insisting that her office had not been aware of a critical report sent in March 2015 by EU officials.
Government officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Public broadcaster RTBF quoted a spokesperson for Michel’s centrist Reformist Movement party saying the documents presented late on Thursday showed that Galant’s office had indeed been told of the report.
On 22 March, two Islamic State suicide bombers detonated suitcase bombs in the airport departure hall before a third struck a metro train in the city killing 32 people.
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