Local & National Daily News Round-up

MONDAY 20 JANUARY

Police Minister Léon Gloden has announced plans for increased police presence to curb drug related crime in the Gare neighbourhood in an RTL interview. To effectively improve the situation he plans to launch a joint effort with various ministries, the Mayor, and residents. Meanwhile, Luxembourg City and UP_FOUNDATION launched the MEGARE project to foster community cohesion and empower children in the Gare neighborhood. Initiatives include child-led mentorship and interactive exploration programs, emphasizing cultural diversity and inclusivity.

Luxembourg’s homelessness rate is 0.11%, below the OECD average of 0.25%, according to the OECD’s Affordable and Social Housing survey. Despite this, the country faces rising homelessness, with 70% of last winter’s programme participants being first-time registrants. Family minister Max Hahn has revealed these figures responding to a parliamentary question. The Wanteraktioun initiative, launched in 2001 to assist the homeless during winter, has grown significantly. Last winter, it provided 300 beds and assisted over 2,300 individuals, doubling 2021/22 figures.

Finance minister Gilles Roth has announced changes to simplify tax procedures and reduce administrative burdens. The government targets 85% of tax declarations to be submitted electronically via MyGuichet this year. In addition, a pre-filled tax declaration service will launch in March, initially benefiting 20,000 households with straightforward income sources. This service is expected to expand to cover 100,000 taxpayers by 2028. The updates follow the introduction of tax relief under the so-called "Entlaaschtungs-Pak." 

Luxembourg Airport saw over 3,000 night flights in 2024 violating the curfew from 11pm to 06am. This marks a 20% increase from 2023 and a doubling since 2022, Luxtimes reports referring to the Air navigation administration (ANA). Although airlines must justify night flights under “exceptional criteria,” no sanctions exist to enforce the curfew. Complaints about airport operations dropped by 28% to around 1,600 in 2024. The airport also set a record, handling over five million passengers last year.