Brussels must deal with Syrian fighters in a tougher and more professional manner

Most Syrian fighters in our country come from Brussels. This is precisely why the N-VA expects more decisiveness, ambition and communication from Brussels Minister-President Rudi Vervoort (PS) in the approach to this problem. “The Brussels-Capital Region must urgently assume its role as the central point of coordination,” says Johan Van den Driessche, member of the Brussels parliament for the N-VA. “The Minister-President currently hides too much behind the fact that certain matters do not fall under the Region’s competences.”

Returning Syrian fighters cause a great deal of concern among the Brussels municipalities. “A hundred or so have apparently returned but we still do not know where they are or what they are doing,” reveals Van den Driessche. “Previously I was only able to establish that just two Syrian fighters had been removed from the City of Brussels’ population register, but that the city has launched a procedure to remove fourteen others.”

Van den Driessche sees an important task in store for the Brussels-Capital Region in this respect. “Not only must it fulfil a coordinating role between the Brussels municipalities, it must also encourage those municipalities that drag their feet to adopt a tougher and more professional approach to the problem.” However, while the citizen can follow the latest atrocities via social media almost live, just after the event, we will have to wait until December for the Region to present a plan of action to the municipalities.