Home Affairs Minister Leon Gloden was forced to u-turn on claims he had evidence of organised groups driving people to Luxembourg City to beg for money, which he has cited as one of the reasons justifying the capital’s ban.
“Everyone knows that every morning fat German limousines with Belgian plates arrive on Boulevard Royal” which drop off beggars in the capital, Gloden told public radio station 100,7 in December, just days after he signed off on an executive order by the local council to ban begging in the city centre.
However, there is no evidence of such transports, Gloden said in response to a parliamentary question on Friday.
“For now, law enforcement authorities have no knowledge of declarations, police complaints or police reports that contain precise and concrete facts about transports of beggars, which would allow opening a preliminary or judicial investigation,” Gloden wrote.
A “substantial” investigation by the judicial police into group begging, theft, possession of fake documents as well as fraud by minors took place between 2020 and 2022, he said. But that investigation was unable to identify the ring leaders.
Gloden said he had “knowledge” of “several” complaints made by local residents, businesspeople and passersby about “aggressive begging” in response to a question about what evidence he had of beggars being bussed in to the capital.
The ban now in place forbids any kind of begging in certain streets of the capital between 7:00 and 22:00. People found begging on the streets of Luxembourg’s capital can be ordered to pay a fine of up to €250 or face several days in prison.
However, the controversial measure has run into legal trouble as the judiciary, the Luxembourg City Council and Gloden’s ministry disagree whether begging is outlawed under national law, which supersedes local rules.
In the règlement communal approved by Luxembourg City all forms of begging are banned, despite Mayor Lydie Polfer and Gloden claiming to only target “organised” and “aggressive” begging.
Former Greens politician Christian Kmiotek turned himself into the police earlier this year for begging in the capital. He is hoping to be prosecuted, so the courts can provide clarity whether all forms of begging are banned.