The Belgian town of Zaventem prefers Dutch-speakers

"[The deputy mayor from the Flemish Christian democrat party] Eric Van Rompuy has made quite an impact by managing to decree that his commune [on the outskirts of Brussels] will only sell land to Dutch-speakers ... . The European Commission is taking a close interest in this measure that appears to be a new case of discrimination", explains Philippe Boeck. "Several criteria [enabling one to buy land at a low cost] have been presented. Some are comprehensible (Eligible people including first-time buyers, inhabitants or people born in the commune, etc.), others are considerably less so (such as knowledge of the Dutch language). This measure, which smacks more of a 'coup', can hardly be repeated. Once again it illustrates the battle a that part of the Flanders community is waging against the 'oil-stain' spreading of French-speaking culture and the comeback of peripheral Flemish culture."

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