Vlaams Belang verzet zich tegen nieuw asielcentrum in Hasselt
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Het Vlaams Belang verneemt net als veel buurtbewoners met verbazing de komst van een nieuw asielcentrum in Hasselt. Vanaf oktober zullen 125 asielzoekers voor maximaal 18 maanden worden opgevangen in het voormalige Parkhotel langs de Genkersteenweg. Umami, een privébedrijf in de cateringsector, zou instaan voor de voedselvoorziening. Het Belang verzet zich echter tegen de komst van het asielcentrum, want “de buurt is nu al dichtbevolkt, de mensen zijn niet geraadpleegd en bovenal heeft België al een disproportionele inspanning verricht rond asielopvang.”
Voor het Vlaams Belang is de geplande opening van het asielcentrum in een dichtbevolkte en rustige buurt met twee scholen een onbegrijpelijke en zorgelijke zaak. “Het is zonneklaar dat de opvang van 125 asielzoekers de draagkracht van de buurt overstijgt”, reageert Kamerlid Frank Troosters (Vlaams Belang), die bovendien wijst op een “een risicovolle mix van Afghanen, Syriërs, Eritreeërs en Irakezen. Dit zowel in de vorm van gezinnen als alleenstaanden.” In het recente verleden liepen de interetnische spanningen in de Belgische asielcentra al hoog op.
Vlaams Belang heeft “lokale en bovenlokale bezwaren” tegen nieuw asielcentrum in Hasselt
“Bovendien is de manier waarop deze beslissing door de strot geduwd werd onaanvaardbaar”, vervolgt Troosters, die ook fractievoorzitter is voor zijn partij in de Hasseltse gemeenteraad. “Op geen enkele manier is de mening van lokale bevolking gevraagd. Het organiseren van een infomarkt nadat de beslissing is genomen, verandert daar niets aan.” Troosters zal dan ook de bevoegde minister Maggie De Block (Open Vld) bevragen in de Kamer over de plannen in Hasselt. “Blijkbaar leerde de minister niets uit de gebrekkige communicatie en het daar uit volgend buurtprotest bij de geplande opening van het asielcentrum in Bilzen. Dezelfde slinkse manier van werken wordt opnieuw gehanteerd.”
De bezwaren van Vlaams Belang overstijgen echter het lokale. “België heeft in vergelijking met de rest van Europa, en zeker in vergelijking globaal heel grote inspanningen geleverd inzake asielopvang”, besluit Troosters. “Het te open karakter van onze sociale zekerheid heeft uiteraard een aanzuigeffect. Dit terwijl 1 op 5 van onze mensen de eindjes niet meer aan elkaar kan knopen. De opvang van één asielzoeker kost de belastingbetaler tussen de 1.500 en 2.240 euro per maand. Dit beleid is asociaal.”