In all twelve recognized Diyanet mosques, shortcomings were found against the Flemish recognition decree with regard to foreign influence. Flemish Minister of the Interior Bart Somers said this on Tuesday in a closed committee in the Flemish Parliament. The Open Vld minister is starting a suspension procedure for three of the mosques. This may lead to the temporary suspension of the recognition. The nine other mosques receive a warning.
During this legislature, the Flemish government came up with a new recognition decree for local religious communities, which was to put an end to the years of recognition freeze in Flanders. That new decree, which has been in force since the end of 2021, did provide a number of conditions. For example, there was a clear ban on foreign interference and financing, and a mandatory register where all donations must be registered. The Flemish Information and Screening Service was instructed to inform and check the twelve Diyanet mosques of the Turkish Community recognized in Flanders.
Shortcomings
The results of that screening were explained on Tuesday in a closed committee in the Flemish Parliament by the screening service, state security, OCAD and Minister Somers. According to Somers, the results show that shortcomings against the Flemish recognition decree have been identified at all twelve of the recognized Diyanet mosques. This mainly concerns shortcomings with regard to the prohibition of foreign influence. It is not clear what those shortcomings are exactly. The cabinet of the minister says that there is no official communication about this because of the confidentiality of the file.
Nine of the mosques linked to Diyanet, the Turkish Ministry of Religious Affairs that manages mosques both inside and outside Turkey, will receive a warning in any case. They have until November 15 at the latest to comply.
Lommel, Aalst, Heusen-Zolder
For three of the twelve, the shortcomings are such that the minister has started a suspension procedure. These are the Selimiye mosque in Lommel, the Kevser mosque in Aalst and the Selimiye mosque in Heusden-Zolder. They are now given ‘right to be heard’ as prescribed by the procedure in the recognition decree. This means that they have 30 days to submit their argumentation to the minister. Within one month after the right to be heard has been exercised, Minister Somers will make a final decision on the three suspension procedures.
Flanders does not accept foreign interference in Flemish local religious communities
“Flanders does not accept foreign interference in Flemish local religious communities. We do not accept that religion is instrumentalized through certain structures or ministers to serve foreign interests. The fact that we find shortcomings today has consequences,” says Somers.
Far-reaching consequences
The loss or suspension of a recognition has far-reaching consequences for the mosques. For example, they not only lose financial government support, but a minister of worship from abroad cannot obtain a work and residence permit for an unrecognized mosque. In addition, they lose investment grants and the exemption from property tax for the religious buildings to which recognized religious communities are entitled.
The nine other Diyanet mosques receiving a warning from the Information and Screening Service are Beraat in Diest, Fatih in Genk, Mevlana in Genk, Yildirim Beyazit in Genk, Yunus Emre in Genk, Yesil Camii in Houthalen-Helchteren, Mehmet Akif in Antwerp, Hicret in Sint-Niklaas and Yavuz Sultan Selim in Ghent.
Somers wants to “recognize many mosques”, but the Turkish government must be outside (+)
“At the Muslim Executive, spies go out through the door, but they come back in through the window” (+)
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