Interior minister rejects seeking British funding to tackle transmigration
Interior and Security minister Bernard Quintin has ruled out seeking British financial support to tackle the growing problem of migrants attempting to cross from the Belgian coast to the United Kingdom in small boats. "Belgium is not a beggar that makes its policy dependent on foreign cheques," he said in the Chamber of Representatives on Wednesday.
Quintin was questioned in the Chamber about the sharp rise in such crossings and calls by local authorities to negotiate financial assistance from the UK, following the example of France, which has struck a deal worth over 660 million pounds to curb boat crossings.
The minister made it clear that he is against the idea. "I am open to cooperation, but we are not going to stand there with our hats in our hands," he said. "We must safeguard our independence and the rule of law."
"I am open to cooperation, but we are not going to stand there with our hats in our hands"
"The door is wide open for cooperation with the British in terms of operations and the exchange of information and expertise," Quintin added. According to the minister, Belgium would soon sign an agreement with the UK as "the first EU member state" on the autonomous exchange of information between police services.
After pushback from coalition partners, Quintin said he is not necessarily opposed to a deal with a financial component, as long as it is "done in a serious manner." The minister also downplayed the role of money as a solution. "If British financial support were to solve the problem, it would already have been solved in France."
It is worth noting that in the recent past, coastal police zones already received over two million euros from the United Kingdom, used mainly to invest in high-performance cameras, drones and patrol vehicles.
Police reinforcements and cross-border cooperation
During Wednesday's session, Quintin also announced reinforcements for the stretched coastal police. A total of 25 additional full-time equivalents will be deployed, on top of the 45 federal officers already on daily duty on the coast. The Damme/Knokke-Heist police zone will also call on Dutch and French police during the summer months.
Quintin also confirmed that a "Calais Group" is being established to further enhance cross-border cooperation. The intent is to bring together countries bordering the North Sea, including France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Finally, according to Justice minister Annelies Verlinden, no migrants have been sighted off the Belgian coast since 1 May. The minister attributes this to the arrest of four people in Germany in late March, which are thought to have disrupted the supply of nautical equipment such as inflatable boats, life jackets and GPS trackers.
© BELGA PHOTO KURT DESPLENTER
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