Contacted by DH, Georges-Louis Bouchez called for tighter controls at national borders. For the MR President, the attitude of our European neighbours, who are strengthening their national controls, should alert us to the approach we need to take.
Georges-Louis Bouchez: “We are going to face such pressure from other countries that the situation will become untenable anyway.
We will be seen as Europe's weak point. Unable to enter other countries, migrants in an illegal situation will concentrate even more around Belgium. And the situation will become unmanageable.
Whether it's drug trafficking, gangs or serious crime, more than half of the offences, at least in the big cities, are committed by people in an illegal situation.
We are facing an army of unidentifiable people who commit criminal acts. This complicates security work. No identity, no address, no phone number, that makes people untraceable.
So I am calling for anyone caught here in an irregular situation to be sent straight back to their country. Belgium's purpose is not to host people who come here to commit crimes."