Belgian Strike Grounds Flights and Hits Transport, Leaving Bulgarian Travelers Stranded

A three-day strike in Belgium has begun, disrupting transport nationwide and leaving many Bulgarian travelers affected. Brussels Airport confirmed that the Bulgaria Air service from Brussels to Sofia on November 26 has been canceled as part of the wider shutdown. The outbound Sofia–Brussels flight, however, is still scheduled to operate. Charleroi Airport, used heavily by low-cost carriers, has halted its entire flight schedule for November 26, including all services to and from Sofia. The stoppage is backed by several Belgian trade unions.

The strike is unfolding in stages. Public transport and the rail network were the first to be hit on Monday. The national railway operator SNCB expects to run only half, and on some routes as little as one-third, of its usual trains. Eurostar has also withdrawn several services between Brussels and Paris.

On Tuesday, the walkout will expand to schools, childcare facilities, public administrations and hospitals. The disruption will reach its peak on Wednesday, when the national strike is set to ground commercial flights from Belgium’s two largest airports, as security and screening personnel join the action.

Union leaders say the protest is aimed at the policies of Prime Minister Bart de Wever. Belgium is among the eurozone’s most indebted countries, alongside Greece, Italy and France, and the new government has announced sweeping austerity plans. De Wever has pushed for extensive structural changes, targeting labor market rules, unemployment benefits and the pension system. Yet only a small portion of his major reforms has progressed, with his five-party coalition divided over the scale of cuts, how to meet fresh budget savings and how to fund a significant increase in military spending.

The prime minister has given the coalition until Christmas to reach a compromise, but the strike highlights the growing tension over his agenda.