Brussels, 28/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - European Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch told EUROPE on Tuesday evening 27 November that the Parliament chamber in Brussels would be out of use for the whole of 2013. Following on from the study and preparation phases, work is scheduled to begin in the spring and will take about six months to complete, taking us to November, or perhaps even December, he said. A metal structure is to be added to bear most of the weight of the roof of the chamber. Total costs are not yet known, as it will depend on the exact details of the project, Duch added.
Part of the Parliament in Brussels, including the chamber, has been closed since 31 August. Experts revealed that cracks had been discovered in three beams supporting the chamber ceiling, resulting from a weakness in one of these beams. After the first developed cracks, the load bearing on the other two beams became too heavy causing them, too, to crack. (CG/transl.fl)