Belgium's government ruled out any increase Thursday in the 923.000-euro allowance paid to King Albert ll since his july abdication, despite reports he sees it as too little to live on.
"The government is not going to change one comma" of the accord thrashed out earlier this year. on annual payments to the royal family. Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo told parliament.
"The government has no intention,directly or indirectly, to change anything at all in this important refrom," Mr Di rupo said as the story topped local news bulletins.
The prim minister, whom the king had singled out for praise in his abdication address, was responding to reports Albert ll felt he had been short-changed.
The king "says he has not been treated as he had hoped and that he now finds himself in difficulty", one unnamed source told the Le Soir daily.
Up until his abdication after 20 years as king, Albert enjoyed a yearly tax-free allowance of 11.5 million euros ($15 million) to pay for the upkeep of the whole royal household.
But on stepping down in favour of his son Philippe, the popular monarch was handed 923,000 euros before tax - or 700,000 euros net - under the new payments regime.
Though also provided with a team of 10 aides, he is "complaining bitterly abourt correspondent. AFP