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3 June 2004
BRUSSELS – Belgium has for the first time used a privately chartered aircraft to expel failed asylum seekers from its territory, it was reported on Thursday.
The jet took off from Zaventem airport on Wednesday with eight Romanians and two Moldovans on board.
A team of police officers, doctors and social workers accompanied the failed asylum seekers, Belgian news agency Belga reported.
In the past, Belgium has used military aircraft for such operations.
But last month the country’s Defence Minister Andre Flahaut said the armed forces would no longer take part in expulsions.
Several other similar expulsion charters are scheduled for the coming weeks, Belga added.
[Copyright Expatica 2004]
Subject: Belgian news