‘It belongs to humanity’

Groningen continues to receive asylum seekers who have exhausted all legal remedies. Although the cabinet no longer wants to fund the so-called bed bread scheme from next year, the entire Groningen city council voted against the PVV’s proposal to close the shelter in the city.

The Minister, Faber of Asylum and Migration, left call at the beginning of September that she wants to focus on “returns, instead of subsidized shelter”. According to her, accommodation is being given to people who “should have left a long time ago” because they do not have the right to a residence permit.

By offering shelter to asylum seekers, they should be prevented from wandering the streets and causing trouble. By eliminating the subsidy, such cities fear disruption and insecurity. According to Faber, this does not have to be true: “If they cooperate in returning to their country of origin, we also want to help them with that.”

The PVV in the Groningen city council submitted a proposal last night to close the shelter. That proposal could not count on a majority: with the exception of the PVV, the entire council voted against it.

“We don’t want people on the street without any expectations,” said mayor Koen Schuiling RTV North. “Because of that, there’s nowhere to go, literally and figuratively. You shouldn’t want that.”

Groningen is “happy” to pay for its own childcare from 1 January. “That has to do with humanity.”

In addition to Groningen, asylum seekers who have exhausted all legal remedies are also received in a complacent manner in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam and Eindhoven. The first two towns have indicated that they will finance the scheme themselves.

The city of Rotterdam it will stop from next year with the care of the bed-bread. The coalition parties Leefbaar Rotterdam, VVD, D66 and Denk had already agreed two years ago that the scheme would only be extended if the government provided money for it.

The council says that leads to “very inhumane conditions” if the people do not receive further care, with a “high chance” of death. The responsible consultant Achbar (Denk) urges the government for a suitable solution.

“If funding stops, it automatically means these people will end up on the street,” Achbar said. “That will raise the issues of care and safety that are necessary.” But the city is not responsible for financing the shelter, he says.