Muslim executive dissolved

Belgium’s Muslim Executive has gone into receivership. The non-profit organisation that was set up to represent the country’s Muslims has been dissolved and staff at its Brussels offices have received their marching orders.

The news was confirmed by the Justice Ministry on Saturday.

The new Executive Council of the Muslim Community was due to be appointed this weekend.

However, arguments about whether or not the Council is a true representation of the whole Muslim Community proved to be its undoing.

For example, Muslims with Moroccan roots felt that they were under-represented.

Futhermore, the organisation’s financial problems proved insurmountable.

The Federal Justice Minister Jo Vandeurzen (Flemish Christian democrat) says that the situation is "regrettable".

Mr Vandeurzen had asked for the problems within the executive to be addressed several weeks ago.

However, the measures taken by the Muslim Executive proved to  insufficient to satisfy the Minister.

Mr Vandeurzen is to hold a series of consultative meetings with various representatives from the Muslim community with a view to setting up a new representative body.

flandersnews.be