Belgian state to decide that the ASTRID TETRA network will be 100% owned by the Government

The Belgian state has decided to use the Federal Participation and Investment Company (FPIM) to buy a share in the Astrid NV Communal Holding.The Belgian state has decided to use the Federal Participation and Investment (FPIM) to buy a share in the Astrid NV Communal Holding. The state puts 40 million Euro's on the table, but requires an assessment of the value of the share. This information is received via the ministrer of Finance, Didier Reynders.

Holding Communal is in financial trouble and asked the federal government in July to the 39 percent they held in Astrid - to purchase the communication network of the emergency services. It was already  last week on the agenda of the inner cabinet, as they decided that a working group had to examine the affair. The inner cabinet decided Thursday morning to buy 39 percent through the FPIM. In this way, Astrid is now 100 percent owned by the federal government. The share in the accounts of the Holding Communal worth 56 million euros, but the problems with the communications network the true value is probably a lot lower. Pending a precise estimate of the value of the package by auditors, the government has now 40 million euros on the table. If the estimate is higher, the government needs to dig deeper into their pockets. Otherwise, the Holding Company has to pay the difference, Reynders explains.

Source: www.knack.rnews.be