Staff federal asylum agency denounce policy Belgian migration minister
Hundreds of staff members at the federal agency for the reception of asylum seekers, Fedasil, have strongly criticised the policy of minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA). This is evident from an open letter published on Friday in De Standaard and Le Soir. The minister responded that she is trying to keep the system sustainable in the long term.
On Thursday night, minister Van Bossuyt faced a parliamentary question in the Chamber regarding her instruction to Fedasil to restrict assistance to asylum seekers who have already been granted protection in another EU member state. Several speakers referred to an open letter that has since appeared in the Belgian newspapers and was signed by 477 staff members of the asylum agency. Fedasil employs around 3,000 people.
Matti Vandemaele of the Flemish green party, Groen, read out the letter during his interpellation. In it, the staff state that they do not want to have the consequences of the minister’s policy on their conscience and that they distance themselves “from the daily violations of the rule of law and human dignity, both towards asylum seekers and towards the staff under your supervision”.
“A minister’s violation of our laws and refusal to implement court rulings causes us concern about the state of our democracy,” the letter continues, in which the signatories emphasise that they are writing out of “loyalty to the agency and its mission”. It is precisely for this reason that they “request” the minister “to respect the court rulings and to provide shelter to those who are still being denied their rights today”.
In her reply, Van Bossuyt noted that the open letter refers three times to practices from previous governments. She emphasised that she respects the work of the staff and that she is also pursuing this policy for their sake. After all, a falling intake also means a systematic reduction in the pressure on the system.
She stated that there are no longer “thousands” of men having to spend the night on the streets, as was the case in the previous parliamentary term. “I am trying to keep the system sustainable, but without strict measures, the pressure on our society will become unsustainable. But I will do everything to find solutions that respect the rule of law,” said the minister.
MP Vandemaele of Groen described the letter as “unprecedented”. “They are tearing your policy to shreds, in every respect, and all you can say is that they haven’t understood it,” he said. “You are simply letting the staff down.”
Fedasil sign © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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