Brussels Bombings: Pension Cuts Shock Survivors – 10 Years On

A decade after surviving the 2016 Brussels terrorist attacks, some victims are facing unexpected demands to repay compensation, causing renewed distress and hardship.

Pension Cuts and Demands for Repayment

Walter Benjamin, 56, says his monthly pension was drastically cut last year to recoup “overpaid” survivors’ compensation. He was standing three metres away from the second attacker at Zaventem airport when a bomb detonated on March 22, 2016, an attack that killed 32 people and injured over 320.

Benjamin lost his right leg and underwent 17 operations to save his left. He returned to exercise just three months after the attack, stating, “because I didn’t want to be a burden on society … I didn’t want my daughter [then 16 years old] to have a father she would have to support.” He now walks 30-40 minutes daily on a treadmill but requires medication to manage panic attacks and depression.

Benjamin fears the shortfall in his pension, estimated at €130,000-€150,000 (£112,000-£130,000) over the long term, will become a debt passed on to his daughter.

A spokesperson for the Belgian federal pensions service said any reduction in compensation would be applied to future pension payments and there would never be a debt recovery claim on an individual or their next of kin.

Broader Issues for Brussels Attack Survivors

The support group Life for Brussels reports that Benjamin is not alone, stating, “Many victims are living in utter despair,” and that “the state is demanding reimbursement of sums paid out over the years, plunging families into unjustifiable hardship.”

The situation stems from a 2017 Belgian law preventing victims from being compensated twice for the same trauma. Survivors receiving pensions are subject to deductions if they also received payments from social security or insurance.

Aurélie Cardon, injured in the Maelbeek metro station attack on the same day, had her lifelong pension of €126 a month abruptly stopped a year ago and was later informed she owed the government €15,000.

“What bothers me most – more than the reimbursement – was that this whole story was behind me,” Cardon said. “But with this letter it all came flooding back. It’s like this story will never end.”

Apology and Ongoing Concerns

The Belgian pensions department issued an apology, acknowledging that in 14 cases money had been “incorrectly recovered” and 43 people received “potentially confusing letters.” Those wrongly docked money will be reimbursed, but no retroactive adjustments will be made for the other 43.

The department stated it “regrets how events have unfolded and presents its sincere apologies to victims,” adding that administrative actions had caused “additional suffering.”

Benjamin argues for a system of routine checks on survivors’ well-being. Cardon confirmed she received a letter stating the demand for reimbursement was an error, but continues to press for the reinstatement of her full pension. She expressed a desire to “move forward” and avoid constantly revisiting the trauma.