Terneuzen crisis emergency shelter not straightforward: ‘No idea when new people will come’

According to Samantha Strooband from the municipality of Terneuzen, it is sometimes a surprise when another van stops at the old library to bring back refugees. Suddenly a bus stopped in front of the door. “I have six people from Budel,” said the driver. The refugees then left and headed for the entrance to the reception area.

Strooband stresses the importance of good administration in order to avoid unpleasant situations. “We really need to keep track of how many people have arrived. Before you know it, we’ll be over 150. The vans keep coming.”

Aldermen Laszlo van de Voorde and Jeroen de Buck have seen the situation in the emergency shelter with their own eyes. “It’s very distressing to see how many families with children there are,” Van de Voorde said. The two aldermen are satisfied with the welcome given to the refugees. “There is a whole team of people doing everything they can to achieve something beautiful,” says Van de Voorde.

The refugees are taken to a different part of the country every two weeks. Van de Voorde is not happy about it. “It’s far from perfect. COA appeals to us and we provided a good location. But being driven away every other week isn’t ideal.”

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