Belgian authorities have decided not to renew the work permits of five Turkish imams, under new legislation prohibiting being employed in Flanders by a foreign government, in this case that of Türkiye.
The decision was taken on October 10 by the regional government of Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region in the north, the regional minister in charge of Justice, Zuhal Demir, said in a press release.
The imams concerned have been officiating for several years in mosques in Antwerp, Ghent, Saint-Nicolas, Diest and Lommel, places of worship which all belong to the network of Diyanet, the main Muslim religious authority in Türkiye, according to the Flemish executive.
These imams are thus considered as
“employees of a foreign state”
. However, regional legislation has prohibited it since May 1, 2024.
“to economic migrants employed in Flanders”
continues Ms. Demir.
“In recent years, authorities have become increasingly wary of threats of foreign interference,”
she explains.
“We must seize the opportunity and decide on strict measures against this.”
Loss of work permit can potentially result in withdrawal of residence permit.
The five imams now have three months to find a new employer who is not the Turkish government, the same source points out.
They also have sixty days to contest the measure before the Council of State, the highest administrative court in the country.
Places of worship in Belgium can apply to be recognized by the authorities, a competence attributed to the regions. Some, a minority, do not take the step.
To date in 2024, the Flemish authorities have given the green light to two thirds of applications for renewal of work permits in places of worship
