Secret coalition deal on Atoma copy books?

Speculation is rising about the existence of a secret agreement between the four government parties that would open the way for new state reforms during the next parliament. Words of Belgian Home Minister Jan Jambon reported by the news website Apache.be suggest the existence of Atoma copy books that contain details of the deal stored in safes at the four party headquarters.

Atoma copy books are popular because pages can be added or removed without anybody noticing.

Home Minister Jambon attended a meeting of the Antwerp chapter of the KVHV, a Catholic and Flemish nationalist student fraternity that has the minister's son, Wouter, as its leader.

Mr Jambon reportedly told the students: "We didn't find any partners for creating a confederal Belgium, but it would have been negligence to sit at home and not to try and implement part of our programme".

The Home Minister reportedly added that government parties had made an informal agreement to allow the next parliament to reform the constitution. Under the agreement article 195 is among the constitutional articles that will be declared fit for revision during the present parliament - a prerequisite for future reform. Article 195 deals with the procedure that has to be followed in the event of state reforms.

Belgian Deputy Premier Kris Peeters (Flemish Christian democrat) and several Francophone liberal ministers have denied the existence of any secret agreement: "I haven't got any Atoma copy books" Mr Peeters told reporters.

Belgian flags removed?

Apache.be also reports that Mr Jambon has had all Belgian tricolour flags removed from his office: "All that remains is a portrait photograph of the king in the area where the journalists come."

Mr Jambon's office insists that they are complying with all protocol requirements regarding the Belgian flag, but adds that office decoration is a question of style and that some flags may have been removed.

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