THE BELGIAN Prime Minister, Mr Jean Luc Dehaene, attempted yesterday to restore his battered government's credibility in the wake of the child abuse scandal which has rocked the country by announcing a package of measures to increase penalties for sex offenders.
The prime minister has been personally criticised for remaining on holiday in Sardinia during the last fortnight's revelations about the abduction of children by a gang of paedophiles led by Mr Marc Dutroux (39), a builder with homes around the city of Charleroi.
Amid a wave of public recrimination, Mr Dehaene's government has been accused of leniency towards Mr Dutroux, who was released early from previous sentence for sex offences and who has consequently been rumoured to have been shielded by those in authority, including politicians.
Following the first cabinet meeting since his return, Mr Dehaene found himself having to defend his previous silence over the story, claiming the government had played its part by issuing condolences and asking for a national minute's silence in memory of Melissa Russo and Julie Lejeune, two eight year old girls who starved to death in a dungeon in Mr Dutroux's cellar.
The prime minister promised an inquiry into the police investigation would not be obstructed whatever the consequences.
Among a package of measures agreed by the government will be a new parole structure, taking decisions out of the hands of ministers, making it tougher for offenders to secure early release, and new prison units for sex offenders. Belgium is also likely to push for a new European court toe try criminal cases which cross international boundaries.
The government is also asking the police to reopen up to 8,000 unsolved sex offences.
Even as the prime minister spoke however, fresh revelations brought more public anguish about the case as Mr Dutroux's wife, Ms Michelle Martin, a former teacher, was reported to have admitted that it was she who allowed the little girls to starve to death while her husband was in prison on unrelated charges last winter.
Previously Mr Dutroux had blamed an associate, Mr Bernard Weinstein, who he has admitted murdering, of neglecting the girls but police now believe that Mr Weinstein was murdered well before they died.
Ten people have so far been arrested in connection with the crimes and police are continuing their search of Mr Dutroux's six homes around Charleroi.
Yesterday they claimed to have detected two "hot spots" which may contain further bodies using a radar imaging device borrowed from the British police, which used the equipment for locating bodies at Fred West's home in Gloucester. The search resumes on Monday.