Budget debates are taking place in municipal councils across the country, including in the capital on Monday. In the debate’s closing remarks, the subject of security and the fight against crime in the capital came up. The number of police checks and interventions in Luxembourg City are increasing, with 4,600 reported this year alone, resulting in 200 fines or warnings.
In spite of the increased police presence, the number of harassment incidents, particularly on public transport, has gone up. The municipal council discussed the fact that city bus drivers are subjected to regular intimidation or even knife threats.
Mayor Lydie Polfer of the Democratic Party (DP) said she not only wanted to act on this data but called for further measures allowing police officers to intervene in such intimidation incidents, which is not currently the case.
“The ease with which intimidation and violence are used is honestly shocking. We can only gather all the institutions we also consult on drug crime, so the police, the judiciary, and healthcare and family institutions, to work together to support people with psychiatric issues. We have programmes and projects, but there are certain situations where the police need different means in order to address the problem”, she said.
As for drug offences, Polfer wants to continue looking for intervention methods with the different stakeholders to address security in the city’s districts, without ignoring the fact that the situation at the capital’s main rail station is beginning to stabilise.
The DP-CSV majority voted in favour of the city budget on Monday evening, after the council of aldermen presented a united front against criticism from the opposition.
The city budget foresees revenues of €1.3 billion with expenditures of €921 million.
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