BRUSSELS - Some 4,000 Belgian military, or nearly one in 10 of the country's armed forces, marched through the streets of the capital yesterday throwing firecrackers to protest against further job cuts.
"There's money for the EU but not for the Belgian people," said one banner, as marchers vented their anger in the shadow of the European Parliament's new multi million dollar headquarters.
Around one in five military are already being demobilised under a programme started in 1993 as the country adjusts to the post Cold War era and budget austerity.