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Christmas festivities in Belgium to continue as planned: PM

Xinhua, December 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said on Tuesday that Christmas markets and other festive events in his country would continue as planned, but authorities and citizens "must remain vigilant."

Michel said that after the deadly attack to a Christmas market in Berlin on Monday evening, Belgian authorities had strengthened security measures at Christmas markets across the country.

Based on the latest report by the country's threat analysis body OCAD, there is no reason to cancel Christmas markets and other events scheduled for the holiday season, including the traditional firework displays on New Year's Eve in Brussels and Antwerp, the prime minister said.

However, he stressed that all the decisions could be changed, as the Belgian State Council will reevaluate the country's security situation on Wednesday.

Michel also urged the public to follow instructions of security forces while attending festivities and report any suspicious incident.

Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon told reporters that the government saw no link to Belgium in the Berlin attack, but would continue to monitor the situation.

The terror alert level in Belgium currently stands at 3, the second highest. Endit