Pukkelpop will now receive a refund of 1.8 million euros in advances | Inland

To keep the events sector above water during the past corona period, the Flemish government has developed an advance payment scheme. Events could already make the necessary preparations with an advance. If the event went ahead, the advance had to be repaid to the government with a premium of 2 percent. If the event was canceled due to government measures against the pandemic, the advance did not have to be refunded.

Pukkelpop also made use of this arrangement. The organizers requested an advance of 1.8 million euros, but the festival was eventually canceled. However, the Flemish government froze the reimbursement after possible irregularities in the file had surfaced.

According to ministers Crevits and Demir, the inspection services of the Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) and Tourism Flanders have now extensively checked everything and the file has now been finally approved, so that the advance is paid out. VLAIO will repay 1.3 million euros in advance, Tourism Flanders has already paid 350,000 euros in subsidy and pays another 150,000, bringing the total amount to 1.8 million euros.

An investigation was also underway into possible irregularities at Pukkelpop. That has not yet been completed, but according to the lawyers who have examined the file, this is separate from the advance payment scheme, according to the Crevits cabinet.

In total, the Flemish government has already approved 325 applications, for a total amount of 84 million euros. Of those events, 140 were at least partially cancelled. To date, the Flemish government has made 47.7 million euros available. The events that were able to take place have so far to repay 26.1 million euros in advances, although that amount may increase after thorough inspections.