Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, issued a joint call for stricter rules to expel people who have been asked to leave Europe.
Speaking in a joint press conference organised in the aftermath of Monday's terror attack, the three European leaders called for better surveillance of Europe’s borders and improved cooperation between Member States.
"Sweden and Belgium stand shoulder to shoulder against extremism. It’s a fight for democracy and freedom. It is a fight that we must win and, I assure you, that we will win," began Alexander De Croo while paying tribute to the victims of Monday’s attack, which left two people dead and one injured, all three Swedes.
The perpetrator of the attack has in fact been identified as Abdesalem L., a man in his forties of Tunisian origin who was under an obligation to leave Belgian territory since 2021 after his residence permit was refused in 2020.
"We will work together with the other Member States to bring the Migration Pact to a successful conclusion," added the Belgian Prime Minister. "We will then be able to exercise more surveillance at the borders and adopt stricter return policies."
Flowers and a banner reading 'Courage to the Swedish people' pictured outside the building of Monday's terrorist attack in Brussels. Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
"They want to frighten us, they hate the values we defend. We have to protect our society and our values, not change our way of life, that’s the key," said Ulf Kristersson. “We need to know who is living within our borders, whether they are living there legally, and expel them if they are not. Without this, it is not possible to guarantee the free movement of people”.
During his visit to Brussels, the Swedish Prime Minister also called for a better exchange of information between states. He added that the perpetrator had been in prison in Sweden and was then deported in accordance with the Dublin Regulation, before ending up in Belgium.
With regard to the attack in Brussels, the Swedish Prime Minister said that he "did not blame Belgium" for not having succeeded in deporting the perpetrator, because there are "similar problems" in Sweden. The aid we provide outside Europe must be subject to conditions, and the countries of origin must agree to take back their nationals, he also stressed.
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An idea shared by Ursula von der Leyen who said third-party countries who received EU aid must assist to take back their nationals who have been expelled from Europe. "As Europeans, we must be able to decide who comes to our territory and how. If someone is a threat to the security of a state, that state must be able to expel them."
“Together, we can make Europe a more humane and fairer place,” concluded De Croo.
