Flemish Minister for Employment Zuhal Demir has accused Turkey of abusing visa-free green passports to send pro-Erdogan imams to Belgium to influence third and fourth-generation Flemish Turks.
She has urged Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prévot to launch an investigation, according to a press release issued on Sunday.
Green passports allow Turkish nationals, who would usually require a visa to enter Europe, to legally stay for up to 90 days. In Flanders, the passports also exempt holders from applying for a work permit, a requirement introduced in 2019 for religious representatives of recognised faith communities.
Demir highlighted that these regulations were tightened to limit foreign governments’ influence on local religious communities. In 2024 alone, 18 work permit applications were submitted by religious representatives, of which 17 were rejected for this reason.
According to Demir, Turkey circumvents these regulations by distributing green passports to “regime-loyal imams”. She stated that these imams operate under Diyanet, Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs, which is directly under President Erdogan’s authority.
“This is utterly unacceptable,” said Demir. “Such practices undermine Flemish policies designed to prevent abuse and foreign interference.”
Demir noted that green passports have also been criticised in neighbouring countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and France. She mentioned that Germany investigated 19 imams for espionage, resulting in deportations and diplomatic tensions with Ankara, while France introduced reforms under President Macron to curb Diyanet’s influence on its imams.
The minister further linked green passports to illegal migration and human trafficking, claiming that some passport holders who enter Europe do not return to Turkey. According to Turkish sources, there are reportedly over 1.2 million green passports in circulation.
Citing substantial signals of abuse, Demir called for an extensive investigation and concrete measures. She urged her colleague minister Prévot to take action.
