Ukrainian refugees too are feeling the ramifications of the shortage of places for asylum seekers, even despite their special status. On arrival several Ukrainian refugees have had to spend the night at the Brussels South Station or in accommodation for the homeless.
For 40 of the 100 Ukrainian refugees, who register every day, there is no accommodation. Belgium boasts a lively Ukrainian community and for most people a solution of a kind is found. Most sort things out for themselves but for others there is no alternative but to spend the night at the South Station or in accommodation for the homeless.
It's Belgium’s regions that are charged with providing accommodation, but communication about free places doesn’t always go smoothly.
The railway authorities have been used to seeing Ukrainian refugees bed down at the South Station. Until now this was due to the late hour of their arrival that meant they hadn’t had an opportunity to register, but today they are seeing more registered refugees who are not being provided with accommodation.
SamuSocial, an organisation for the homeless, is also seeing more refugees who had been placed with a family return to Brussels. “We can understand that some people decide to stop providing accommodation, but we can’t always help the refugees” says Magali Pratte.
Nicole de Moor, the secretary of state charged with asylum, concedes there are no more emergency accommodation places to be had. She blames the regions for failing to provide sufficient reception places for Ukrainian refugees.