Tienen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Flemish government is expanding the “Denderfonds” by 4 million euros to aid Denderleeuw, Ninove, Geraardsbergen, and Zottegem with issues stemming from Brussels’ influence. Tienen’s mayor, Jonathan Holslag, advocates for broader funding to include other affected towns like Tienen, which faces similar challenges.
The Flemish government will give more money to the “Denderfonds.” This fund helps the towns of Denderleeuw, Ninove, Geraardsbergen, and Zottegem deal with problems from “Brusselization.” These problems include language issues, poverty, and migration due to Brussels’ influence.
Since 2017, these towns have received 4 million euros each year to manage changes from more people coming from Brussels. With the new government, this funding will increase by another 4 million euros. However, Tienen’s mayor, Christophe Holslag, is concerned that the fund only focuses on the Dender area. He believes the effects of Brussels are felt in other towns too.
How Can Tienen and Other Growing Towns Benefit from the Denderfonds?
Jonathan Holslag believes that while towns in the Dender area need the extra money, the fund should also help other cities facing similar issues. Tienen has become a key transport hub because of its good train links to Brussels. This has led to more people moving there and an increase in immigrants.
He mentioned that Tienen’s immigration rate is now higher than that of the Dender region. Holslag wants this change to be recognized. He thinks Tienen and other cities with similar problems should also get support from the Denderfonds. He suggests that the fund should be larger to help all affected towns manage the changes they are experiencing.
“Those municipalities certainly deserve it, that support is right and necessary,”
Says Holslag.
Mayor Christophe Holslag has noticed that many people in Tienen are feeling frustrated. He says this is due to the city having more immigrants and different cultures, which makes it hard for the community to stay united. Holslag points out that Tienen is friendly and welcoming, but some residents feel there are too many people from different backgrounds.
A report shows that 40 percent of residents think this way, leading to divisions in the community. The mayor believes it is important to work on bringing people together and helping them connect. However, he also says that there are not enough resources to deal with these problems, making it tough to create effective solutions.
Holslag has a plan to use language, especially Dutch, to help people in Tienen connect better. He believes talking to each other is important for building strong bonds. To help with this, he wants to improve local programs and encourage those who do not speak Dutch to learn it.
In Tienen, about 27 percent of primary school kids do not speak Dutch at home. Holslag sees this as a big problem in education. He wants to help these children and their families learn the language so they can fit in better. Holslag also plans to talk to the Flemish government about changing policies and funding to support these efforts and ensure the issue is discussed in Brussels.
“I think it is good to adjust this gradually. This needs to be on the agenda in Brussels”
Mayor says.
