2023-10-04 10:12:00
Wallonia and Brussels receive, in proportion to their population, more asylum seekers than Flanders. The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor confirmed this on Wednesday in the House Interior Committee, responding to a question from Simon Moutquin (Ecolo) as part of a current affairs debate on the reception crisis.
According to the Green MP’s calculations, Brussels hosts 4.8 asylum seekers per 1,000 inhabitants, Wallonia 4.6, and Flanders 1.8 per 1,000 inhabitants. Nicole de Moor did not confirm this proportion, admitting however that Wallonia and Brussels were indeed welcoming more asylum seekers. “Each Region makes its effort. But there are more places in Wallonia than in Flanders, it’s historic. We are trying to rectify the situation,” she replied, calling for the debate not to be communitarized.
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“But most recognized refugees then settle in Flanders and Brussels rather than in Wallonia,” she clarified. “Many municipalities say that this is what weighs the most.” In total, 500 of the 581 Belgian municipalities are currently welcoming asylum seekers.
“You confirm that the comments made in Flanders for two years by the far right and the extreme right are false,” reacted Simon Moutquin, also calling for this debate not to be communitarized. “It is wrong to say that Flanders welcomes more than Wallonia and Brussels.” The MP called for transparency on the distribution of asylum seekers by municipality.
This response made Tomas Roggeman (N-VA) react. “As far as we are concerned, we can still concentrate more in Wallonia. A majority of Flemish public opinion demands exactly the opposite. If Wallonia and Brussels want it, they must welcome them. Ecolo is trying to pursue a policy once morest the will Flemish voters,” he said.
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