Aalter (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Ministry of the Interior confirms receiving 144 files on Aalter’s registration policy, 34 more than previously stated, amid growing political scrutiny.
Bernard Quintin (MR), the Interior Minister, made this statement in front of the Chamber. The registration rules will now be reiterated in a letter that his government will issue to every municipality in Belgium.
It is suspected that Mayor Pieter De Crem (CD&V) has implemented a discriminatory policy against foreign-born entrants to his town. Compared to newcomers with a Belgian-sounding name, they would have had to wait a much longer time to be listed in the East Flemish municipality’s demographic register.
In the Chamber, Minister Quintin responded to inquiries from Paul Van Tigchelt (Open VLD) and Matti Vandemaele (Groen) by stating that 144 files had been received along with the request to regularize them.
There have been 110 files so far.
Nine of those 144 files still need to be handled, while 135 of them have already been closed. Additionally, Audit Flanders and the East Flanders public prosecutor’s office are still looking into the matter.
On Wednesday, there was yet another coordination meeting. Quintin said his cabinet is drafting a letter to restate the registration regulations. The letter will be distributed to all municipalities.
Speaker of the House Peter De Roover declared last week that he will request that Minister Quintin and his predecessor, Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), turn over all of the records pertaining to the Aalter matter to Parliament.
The opposition’s desire to hold hearings in the House was denied once more today.
What new insights do the 144 files reveal about registration delays in Aalter?
Although 110 files were initially cited, there are actually 144, which shows that the Ministry has looked at a wider range of situations.
The number of dwelling inspections needed for registration has been drastically lowered by the new municipal administration; since January, only four inspections have been carried out, and none of them have been connected to discriminatory intent. This is in contrast to the previous council’s strategy, which caused numerous delays.
Fifty individuals have now been registered from the older files from the last council term, and in cases where housing concerns were discovered, provisional registrations were given. This demonstrates attempts to reduce backlogs and implement the law more equitably.
