Alter (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Flemish MP Kurt De Loor (Vooruit) demands an investigation into Alter for delaying registrations. Minister Hilde Crevits (CD&V) blames federal Minister Bernard Quintin, who insists it’s Flanders’ responsibility. Audit Flanders is investigating.
A politician named Kurt De Loor wants the agency “Alter” to be investigated. He believes the agency is not doing a good job of helping people from other countries register in Belgium. He wants a special investigation to see if the agency is breaking the rules. Other politicians agree with him.
The problem started when someone told reporters that people trying to register with Alter were often not getting proof that they had registered. The whistleblower said that applications were being held up because the city council was asking for inspections of the people’s homes. This delayed the registration process for months.
I find these very important facts because this is about integrity.
Flemish Parliament member Kurt De Loor (Vooruit)
Who is responsible for addressing Alter’s registration issues?
De Loor is very worried about the allegations against Alter. He thinks the agency is not being honest about how it’s handling registrations. He believes that the problems raise serious questions about whether the registration process is fair. De Loor was especially upset by the response given by a politician named De Crem, calling it “crazy” and showing that De Crem thinks he’s above the law. He believes De Crem’s reaction shows that he doesn’t care about being held accountable.
This is making people even more concerned that Alter is not being run properly. More politicians are speaking out against Alter, and the issue is becoming more important in the Flemish Parliament. Minister of Home Affairs Hilde Crevits (CD&V) is not being rushed. She has already asked Audit Flanders to investigate the case.
It is important that there is sufficient insight into facts against representatives,
according to Crevits.
It is a healthy and general principle to wait for the facts to be found.
Hilde Crevits, a Flemish minister, is angry at how the federal Interior Minister, Bernard Quintin, has been talking about the Aalter situation. Crevits says the Flemish government was never told about the complaints against Aalter’s registration practices. She’s surprised that Quintin told the federal parliament that it’s the Flemish government’s job to punish Aalter.
Quintin defended his position by saying that the federal government did receive complaints about Aalter. He explained that the federal government had talks with Aalter’s local government about the issue. However, he emphasized that the federal government doesn’t have the power to punish Aalter.
He mentioned that’s the job of the Flemish government, which is the Agency for Home Affairs for Flanders. The federal government is aware of the problem and has discussed it with Aalter, but they believe that the Flemish government should take action to address it.
Crevits says,
At no point did the FPS Home Affairs signal these issues to our Flemish administration of Home Affairs. No general letters were sent and no specific complaints were submitted.
