Room requests information about controversy in Aalter, but hearings are not coming, opposition speaks of « cover -up surgery »
Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden (CD&V). – © Belga
The House asks the Ministers of Justice and Interior Affairs Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) and Bernard Quintin (MR) to release all relevant information on the controversial registration policy for newcomers in Aalter. But to the great annoyance of the opposition, there are no hearings in the federal parliament.
The conference of the presidents in the Chamber decided on Wednesday to request correspondence, emails, agendas or reports of meetings about Aalter. But hearings with all possible stakeholders voted away the majority parties. The opposition demanded that after it turned out that Annelies Verlindens cabinet had been informed by the FPS Binnenlandse about the problematic registration policy in Aalter towards new residents with a strange name. The CD&V minister stated that he had not been aware of this last week and also said that it is not competent for the case. The Flemish government is.
In the meantime, competent Flemish minister Hilde Crevits (CD&V) ordered an audit to the events in the municipality of her party colleague Pieter De Crem. In the Chamber, the Christian Democrats also used that argument to wave away hearings.
But that audit is only about Flemish and local aspects and not about the role of the Interior, Dixit a displaced opposition. A cover -up surgery, concludes Paul van Tigchelt (Open Vld) « Is there anymand who doubts that? Why shouldn’t the Parliament hear people? » (fem, blg)
