Jan Spooren (Flemish nationalist), the Governor of Flemish Brabant Province, has instructed the municipal authorities in Vilvoorde to stop sending newcomers in the municipality a letter and questionnaire written in three languages.
People moving to the Flemish Brabant town of Vilvoorde are sent a letter and questionnaire in Dutch, French and English welcoming them to the municipality and requesting further information. Hans Bonte (Flemish socialist/Vooruit), the Mayor of Vilvoorde, explains that in this way new residents understand what you are saying and misunderstandings are avoided.
Governor Spooren insists that the municipality is violating language legislation. The trilingual communication can only legally be dispatched to newcomers who have just arrived in the country. At the moment all new residents are getting the trilingual letter.
Mayor Bonte says it was a conscious decision to use three languages: “The letter is in Dutch. It’s only the addenda that are in three different languages. We want to communicate clearly with non-Dutchspeakers and convince them how important it is to learn Dutch”.
Governor Spooren says he understands this argument but is of the opinion that only newcomers who have just embarked on their integration course should get the letter and questionnaire in three languages.