Belgian Cabinet Splits Over Visas for 13 Gaza Scholars
Ministers were meeting to discuss budgetary measures when the question of visas for the Gaza students, who have won scholarships to study at Belgian universities, moved to the center of the talks.
The French-speaking liberal MR was reportedly the only party to reject a compromise that Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot had worked out earlier with Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt.
Under the compromise, the students would not be allowed to cite their arrival in Belgium as grounds for seeking asylum or applying for family reunification.
The deal also created a task force, led by Van Bossuyt, to find ways to speed up and strengthen procedures for returning people who are living in the country illegally.
“I had agreed to discuss proposals within that framework and, after examining them, to support certain proposals if they were effective, proportionate and lawful,” Prevot reportedly said.
The core Cabinet had yet to approve the agreement. In a news release seen by the news agency, Prevot said MR was the only coalition partner to block it, calling the move “blackmail.”
“The obstruction is a human disgrace and politically regrettable. We are talking about 13 young people who have been awarded scholarships to continue their studies at our universities,” Prevot said.
He cautioned that the students’ future must not be used as “a bargaining chip” in migration negotiations.
“I am sincerely saddened for these 13 young adults,” Prevot added.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
