The Belgian Minister of Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, will travel to Moldova on Sunday, according to De Tijd, amidst a notable increase in asylum applications from the country, primarily from the Roma community seeking shelter in Belgium during winter.
Since 2020, Belgium has witnessed roughly a thousand Moldovan asylum requests annually, a significant rise compared to previous years when such applications were rare.
Minister Van Bossuyt noted that these applications peak during winter months. Many come from northern Moldova, are economically vulnerable, and are impacted by high energy costs due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. They aim to spend winter in Belgian reception centres before returning home, but their asylum chances are slim because Moldova is considered a safe country.
In response, Van Bossuyt intends to conduct a “deterrent campaign” during her visit to Moldova. She will meet with the Moldovan counterpart, Roma representatives, the press, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Van Bossuyt insists Belgium “cannot be a country where people settle during winter to misuse our already overwhelmed reception system.”
To curb misuse, Moldovan asylum applications in Belgium are processed swiftly through an “accelerated” procedure. Asylum seekers from countries with low recognition rates are quickly channelled towards return paths. In the long term, Van Bossuyt aims to accommodate these individuals in separate reception centres.
