Spoof programme on Flemish independence leaves Belgians reeling

BELGIANS were still recovering yesterday after a television channel announced in a spoof programme that the Flemish part of the country had declared independence and that Belgium was no more.

Some six months before the probable renegotiation of powers between Belgium’s French- and Dutch-speaking communities, the RTBF programme raised inter-communal tensions with its “breaking news” style programme on Wednesday evening.

To back up the prime time report, RTBF aired “live” footage of trams blocked at the new “border” and interviewed real-life politicians.