The Groningen Security Region is looking at legal options for closing the application center for asylum seekers in Ter Apel. A spokesperson for chairman Koen Schuiling of the Security Council confirms reporting about this from RTL Nieuws.
Schuiling announced the exploratory investigation earlier this week, including with State Secretary Eric van der Burg of Justice and Security. The closure is under investigation due to the situation at the application center, which has been overcrowded, requiring people to spend the night outside lately.
“This leads to concerns about people’s health and social safety and it leads to stressful situations. It is up to the mayor to prevent such situations,” said the spokesman. The security region is looking at “what powers you could use to cope with the situation”. It is unclear whether and when closure will really be discussed.
COA understands Koen Schuiling’s research
According to a spokesperson for the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), this will not be within a few weeks. “Whether this continues depends on the developments in the coming weeks. So that remains to be seen and also depends on what perspective the cabinet will offer in the coming period.” COA understands Schuiling’s investigation, “because the situation is untenable”.
This is not the first time that the possibilities of a temporary closure are being looked at. That was also the case in March, but in the end it didn’t come to that.