PoliticsCivil Service Minister Petra De Sutter (Green) is examining whether staff from other services can be seconded to Fedasil to tackle the staff shortage. “I am looking at what we can do within the civil service,” De Sutter responded Friday morning before the start of the core cabinet.
In addition to a shortage of reception places, Fedasil also struggles with a lack of staff. Minister De Sutter made it clear that she still wants the issue on the agenda of the core cabinet today. “At first the idea was to do it next week, but I think it’s clear that this really can’t wait an hour longer.”
The reason for the urgency are messages from underage asylum seekers, pregnant women and families with children who have not been able to get a place in an asylum center in recent days because they are all full. On Thursday morning, about 125 people in family were refused.
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I understand that it takes hundreds of people to immediately alleviate the need. We will do everything we can to achieve this figure.
On top of the reception crisis, Fedasil is struggling with a shortage of staff. “I understand that hundreds of people are needed to immediately alleviate the need,” said Minister De Sutter. “We will do everything we can to achieve this figure.”
In concrete terms, she is thinking of seconding personnel from other services to Fedasil: from Defense, Civil Protection, the fire brigade or other emergency services, but also from the civil service. The minister does not even rule out compulsory secondment.
De Sutter could not say how many people are involved. “We are looking at that. We are mapping everything out this morning.” It is also not known which functions would be involved. “It is the last step we can take to solve the problem acutely,” said De Sutter. She acknowledges that this is not a sustainable solution. “It can help us in the coming days. Now civil society is doing that, but it’s up to the government to do that,” concludes the minister.
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I have repeatedly asked for staff support, so far the questions have fallen on a cold stone.
At the beginning of this week, State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor (CD&V) sounded the alarm about the asylum crisis. She then also put a winter plan around the table. This involves more places, extra staff and a higher outflow.
According to de Moor, places are not operational today due to no staff, such as the 400 places in Berlaar. “When I am asked to transcend myself, I call on everyone inside and outside the government to transcend themselves and make places that are there operational,” said the secretary of state. She points out that Fedasil has been authorized since July to increase the capacity to 35,000 places, so as not to leave people on the street. “I have repeatedly asked for staff support, so far the questions have fallen on a cold stone.”
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