The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, Sammy Mahdi, believes that the federal government must help Belgians who have decided to welcome Ukrainian refugees into their country.
Today, 38,000 Ukrainians are registered in our country, according to Sammy Mahdi, State Secretary for Asylum and Migration. According to the worst scenario, depending on the situation in Ukraine, we would increase to 170,000 refugees. “It’s the worst case. So if there are still bombs falling”, indicates the Secretary of State, the political guest of Fabrice Grosfilley this Thursday morning on Bel RTL. In the most probable case, their number could vary between 70 and 100 thousand refugees. “That’s still a huge number.”emphasizes Sammy Mahdi.
When people want to be able to help, it’s nice and we have to thank them
To help these people who have fled the war, many citizens have applied to host refugees in their homes on a voluntary basis. Today, some of them are disillusioned. They say to themselves that in the end they have to take in these families for several months and that providing them with help is not easy. All the steps are heavier than they thought, especially with the language barrier. Shouldn’t the state take over? “It must be done, it is the duty of the State. When people want to be able to help, it’s nice and we have to thank them”assures the Secretary of State.
But is it the federal government or the regions and communities that should do it? “With regard to housing, this is a competence of the regions. In relation to that, the work is done there”, answers Sammy Mahdi. “We, at the federal level, there is assistance that is also given, for example assistance with integration. We must not point the finger at each other but it is certain that there is a competence of the government and it is nice that people want to help but at some point the government takes its responsibilities”, he repeats.