Reception asylum center Lombardsijde extended until June

Sofie Desseyn, responsible of the asylum center: “Now that Ukrainian refugees are also coming to our country and are being received in the existing reception centers, we were forced to leave the center in Lombardsijde open longer.”

Criticism of Vlaams Belang

Since November 2021, Fedasil has provided an open asylum center in the holiday domain, at the military base on the border of Lombardsijde and Nieuwpoort. There are about 150 places, mainly for asylum seekers from Afghanistan. But also from other countries. “We are now mainly seeing an influx of Ukrainian refugees in our country, but that does not mean that there are no other refugees who need shelter,” says Desseyn.

That is why the opening of the center has now been extended until June 1, 2022. That is not to the liking of Vlaams Belang, which previously campaigned against the asylum center. “It is indefensible that this open asylum center, in a holiday residence, will be extended now that spring and the tourist season are approaching,” said MP Wouter Vermeersch (Vlaams Belang).

After May 31, 2022, it will be checked what happens to them for each asylum seeker.