Parket is investigating whether Policy Pieter de Crem in Aalter violates racism legislation (Aalter)

Pano reported Wednesday evening together with The morning That non-Belgians in Aalter wait four times longer for registration in the municipality than legally admitted, while Belgians are easily domiciled. Flemish Minister of Domestic Administration Hilde Crevits (CD&V) already announced on Thursday that she will ask Audit Flanders to check whether Aalter's working method is « according to legal standards and good practices ». She did that after the question of green party leader in the Flemish Parliament and Aalters municipal councilor Mieke Schauvliege for a disciplinary investigation into Aalterse mayor Pieter de Crem (CD&V).

An anonymous whistleblower stated in the broadcast that people of foreign origin often do not receive any proof of registration. The ship's college would often postpone the decision on the application by requesting a check of the quality of the home.

In anticipation of that check, which sometimes takes months, people are not domiciled. A sample of 204 registrations in Aalter confirms that version of the facts according to the report. With Belgians, the registration takes an average of 15 days. For non-Belgians that is 136 days, with peaks above 450 days. The Federal Public Service Home Affairs has received 110 complaints about domiciliation in Aalter since the end of 2023. The Immigration Office came to the conclusion that Aalter did not correctly apply the Aliens Act in 51 files.

De Crem denied the accusations of discrimination in the TV broadcast on Wednesday evening. « No distinction is made between Belgians and non-Belgians. I work within the legal framework. If that is not the case, it is up to the legislator to change that, » it was said.

The East Flanders public prosecutor does not provide any further details about the research. It is an investigation at the level of the public prosecutor. This means that there is no intervention from an investigating judge, who can do broader research actions.

Flemish Minister of Domestic Government Hilde Crevits (CD&V) pointed out on Thursday that the identification of natural persons and the registrations in the population register are a federal competence. « There is a specific appeal procedure for the federal government to challenge refusal to register in the population register. In this, the Flemish government has no authority from its general supervision. »

But if it were about a structured approach where there would be an unequal treatment, then I want clarity about that, says Minister Crevits. « Because this is not possible according to our Constitution and we expect all local authorities to follow the rules. A complaint has been made very recently, and I have it investigated in the context of general supervision. The relevant documents are requested from the municipal administration for this. » Crevits will also ask Audit Vlaanderen to check whether the working method of the municipality of Aalter is according to legal standards and good practices.

Federal Minister of the Interior Bernard Quintin confirmed on Thursday in the Chamber that analysis of his services shows that the registration procedure in Aalter is « long ». « This is mainly because every application is first approved by the ship's college before a check of the quality of living and the domicile control can take place. Moreover, Aalter does not apply the system of provisional registration in the population register, as prescribed, » it sounded.

According to the minister, that problem was already raised in Aalter last year, and there was then consultation between the Federal Public Service Interior and the local administration. But that FPS « has no authority to impose sanctions on a municipality: that authority belongs to the regions, in this case the Agency for the Domestic Administration for Flanders. » The government service can start a file, but only when the municipality ultimately makes a negative decision about the registration in the population register.