ANY serious errors in the investigation of Belgium's paedophile sex, kidnap and murder cases would be punished, the Belgian Prime Minister said yesterday.
"If it appears that during earlier phases of the investigation serious errors have been made, they will be sanctioned," Mr Jean Luc Dehaene told parliament, which convened early to discuss the country's paedophilia and political murder scandals.
"The Justice Minister has ordered an inquiry into the investigation of the child kidnappings. He has just received the report and will inform parliament about it," Mr Dehaene said.
The inquiry conclusions would be presented to parliament's justice commission as soon as possible.
The Prime Minister gave no information about the contents of the report, which is believed to be highly critical of police co operation and procedures.
Mr Dehaene also said the judiciary should do its utmost in the inquiry into the 1991 mafia style murder of a politician, Mr Andre Cools.
An extraordinary session of parliament was convened at the request of the opposition, two weeks before the parliamentary year had been due to start.
Parties backed setting up a committee of inquiry into judicial bungling in certain investigations.
In the child sex case, police officers are suspected of having been involved in a car theft racket led by a paedophile gang leader and convicted child rapist, Marc Dutroux.
In the case of the killing of Mr Cools, a former Socialist minister, party appointed investigators have attempted to divert inquiries leading to party members, judicial sources say.
"Together we must ask ourselves what has gone wrong," Mr Dehaene said.