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News > World

Belgium Wants Refugees to Sign Pledge of 'European Values'

  • Members of several European right-wing parties pose with anti-Muslim signs, Antwerp, Belgium.

    Members of several European right-wing parties pose with anti-Muslim signs, Antwerp, Belgium. | Photo: AFP

Published 3 April 2016
Opinion

Belgium is about to enact legislation forcing refugees to sign a declaration supporting "European values". Opponents claim that it will only assist in deepening hostility between refugees and locals.

Belgium’s parliament is considering a so-called “newcomer’s statement,” according to a comment made last Friday by the Belgian Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Theo Francken, to be signed by all refugees who want to make Belgium their new home.

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The pledge is supposed to be mandatory and failure to sign may lead to refugees having their residency claim rejected by the government. “[Many people] are coming from countries with other values,” explained Franken's spokesman, Laurent Mutambayi.

“If they want to build their life here in Europe we have no problem with that, but they have to sign this statement that they accept our values.”

The statement will also ask refugees who plan to stay in Belgium for more than three months to report any potential acts of terrorism they may be aware of.

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Mr Mutambayi explained that consequently, everyone not able to integrate fully would not be allowed to stay in the country.

Proponents of the pledge argue that it's an essential step to ensure better integration into society, whereas opponents claim that it will only assist in deepening hostility between refugees and locals as it assumes that refugees do not hold the required values to begin with.

Many organizations working directly with refugees criticized the declaration. According to Didier Vanderslycke from the organization Orbit "It’s an extra tool for the immigration office to keep some people out of Belgium."

"The integration process can start when you have the residence and not when you sign a document that you will integrate. It’s really a bad thing as a welcome for people,” Vanderslycke argued.

Many have warned of a discourse based on anger and fear and a general anti-Muslim feeling it can prompt.

Belgium has seen an increase in anti-refugee sentiment over the last few weeks, with a sizeable portion of Belgians supporting the closing of Belgium's borders, according to a survey conducted by the 'Ceci n’est pas une crise foundation.

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