The State Secretary for Asylum, Theo Francken (New Flemish Alliance), wants the government to create an extra 1,000 spaces in detention centres. He spoke about it during an interview that appeared in the Sudpresse, De Morgen and Het Laatste Nieuws papers on Saturday.
“We had 400 spaces when I took the job of Asylum secretary. We now have 600 spaces. I want the government to create 1,000 extra spaces”, Mr Francken said. “Of course, the focus will remain on those we are most likely to deport and criminals”, he said.
To create the extra thousand spaces in detention centres, the State Secretary said he had “a lot of creativity despite the little I have at my disposal”. He spoke about the possibility of transforming detention centres into open centres. “But obviously, they would not house the same people”.
He thinks he will have the support of Prime Minister Charles Michel.
(Source: Belga)
