Molenbeek Service Delays Affect 1,200 Permits and Residents

Sint-Jans Molenbeek (Eurotoday) – Team Fouad Ahidar (TFA), MR, and Les Engagés criticized Molenbeek’s service delays. Acting mayor Amet Gjanaj (PS) admitted issues but provided no solutions. The Civil Registry receives 100–150 emails daily and struggles with 1,200 residence permits. The city secretary resigned in May 2024, and cleaners went on strike in September 2024.

A special meeting took place in Molenbeek on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. The meeting was called by Team Fouad Ahidar (TFA), with support from opposition parties MR and Les Engagés. Their primary concern was the significant delays in city services, particularly at the Population and Civil Registry.  

Councillor Hamza Zibouh (TFA) noted that residents frequently wait weeks or even months for a response to their emails. He asked Acting Mayor Amet Gjanaj (PS) how the city planned to address the backlog and whether additional resources or staff would be allocated to enhance service efficiency.  

Gjanaj acknowledged the delays as a serious issue for residents. However, he explained that the Population and Civil Registry receives between 100 and 150 emails daily, making it difficult to keep up with demand. He stated that opening more service counters was not an option due to a lack of resources.

How will Molenbeek address service delays and staff shortages?

Molenbeek aims to recruit additional staff to expedite application processing without increasing costs. The acting mayor noted that service wait times are comparable to those in other major Brussels cities. He also explained that individuals cannot contact the Civil Registry by phone because the system disconnects calls after 30 minutes, forcing people to redial and wait again. This has led to frustration, with some callers shouting at staff.

According to Acting Mayor Amet Gjanaj, the city’s phone system will soon be operational again, improving communication. However, he did not specify when the issue would be resolved.

The mayor also highlighted that the Immigration Service is overwhelmed, managing 1,200 temporary residence permits, including those for Ukrainian refugees. This workload has hindered the processing of other applications, increasing residents’ frustration.

Molenbeek council member Hamza Zibouh expressed dissatisfaction with the mayor’s response. He stated that Gjanaj acknowledged the problems but failed to outline concrete solutions. Residents are increasingly concerned that the administration is not taking sufficient action to resolve these issues.

The city secretary resigned in May 2024, citing concerns over transparency. She claimed that the mayor and other officials made staffing decisions without consulting her, raising questions about governance.

In September 2024, city cleaners staged a strike, protesting poor working conditions, inadequate staffing, and excessive workloads. Officials acknowledged that these blank”>issues had reduced city efficiency. They emphasized the need for increased resources, better management, and potential new regulations to improve municipal services.