Welcome Welcome, please make yourself at home, just do not mention the mess. In the time-honoured tradition of our group, here is the weekly discussion thread.
Belgian bus manufacturer Van Hool officially declared bankruptcy today, costing at least 1800 jobs. The deciding thing seems to be the Belgian government opting to let BYD build busses because they are cheaper. I just hope it is 1800 people getting unemployment benefits + severance packages cheaper. Top notch thinking, effectively shutting down a company that has the knowledge and capacity to build more public transport, a vital thing for the future 👍 fucking idiots
Ngl but it is kind of poetic. Of course its a shame that the people will be the losers since the shareholders prob already have massive savings in a financial paradise.
That is what happenened in global south countries when forced to open their markets, the key difference being that the global south did not have the time to develop (nor colonies to accelerate growth through extraction) and belgium did have the time.