Fedasil, Belgium’s federal agency for the reception of asylum seekers, is planning to open a reception centre for migrants in a former elder care facility in the Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek.
The centre is expected to be able to accommodate 120 people, Bruzz reports, though it’s not yet clear when doors will open at the building on Avenue François Sebrechts (François Sebrechtslaan) near the Basilica of Koekelberg.
“There are still works to be done on the sanitary facilities,” a source within a refugee organisation told Bruzz, explaining that the building was still being made ready.
Former care home has long been sought as reception centre
Until recently it served as a care home for 140 residents, run by the Armonea group. Last year the group decided to close the home because the building was outdated.
Armonea, which still had a long lease on the building until 2032, transferred the lease to Fedasil, an Armonea spokesperson confirmed.
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“Fedasil had wanted the building for some time. The project was in the pipeline, but in view of the flow of refugees from Ukraine, the procedure was accelerated,” the spokesperson told Bruzz.
It is not yet clear whether the reception centre is only intended to accommodate Ukrainian refugees. Fedasil says it will communicate about the reception of Ukrainian refugees in the coming days.
