Occupants of an empty building on Rue de la Loi in Brussels' European Quarter have filed a petition at the Brussels Civil Court with a view to obtaining a temporary agreement allowing them to stay there.
At a hearing on Monday, the judge announced that a decision would be issued at the end of June.
The petitioners are asylum seekers who have been occupying the building, located on Rue de la Loi in Brussels, since 23 April.
They are hoping to get the court to make the State of Belgium and Fedasil - the federal agency in charge of the reception of asylum seekers - sign a temporary occupation agreement with the building’s owner.
“This would prevent us from being out on the street,” commented Amin, one of the 90 occupants, “but it would not be a permanent, structural solution to the reception crisis in Belgium. It would be a makeshift solution, but a solution nonetheless.”
The asylum seekers have been unable to obtain places at a Fedasil centre, to which they are entitled. For their lawyer, Me. Marie Doutrepont, “this procedure is made necessary by the prolonged, structural inaction of the public authorities with regard to the reception of applicants for international protection.”
The law provides for Belgium to take immediate charge of applicants for international protection, but for several months the public authorities have been unable to do so.
Thousands of appeals have already been lodged by asylum seekers whose rights have not been respected, resulting in court rulings ordering Belgium to fulfill its obligations.
