Emir Kir must adjust his approach to save the Sint-Joost budget. Currently, the municipality is facing financial difficulties, including unpaid bills and a significant budget deficit, as of October 1, 2025.
Financial Issues Overview
The opposition claims that Sint-Joost’s issues extend beyond unpaid invoices. The municipality reportedly owes at least 2 million euros to the European Commission due to incorrectly charged office taxes in the past. Additionally, there are still at least 7 million euros in operating costs that have not been settled.
In total, the municipality is facing a looming debt of at least 45 million euros by 2025. In response, Kir argued that these claims are incorrect. However, the opposition is concerned that the actual debt may be even higher.
Current Financial Status
Sint-Joost has exhausted its entire credit line of 26 million euros with Belfius bank. Pascal Lemaire, a member of the opposition from Ecolo-Groen, likened the city’s credit line to a credit card, emphasizing, “At some point, you have to pay the bill for that.”
Lemaire criticized Kir, stating that the number of staff has dramatically increased just before the elections. He added that over the years, some projects have been poorly managed, citing the cultural center’s costs rising to 17 million euros, far exceeding the initial estimate of 5 million euros. According to Lemaire, the municipality has the highest number of employees per resident, alongside significant income from offices and hotels, yet it finds itself in this financial predicament due to mismanagement by Kir.
