Coronavirus. Misunderstanding at the border: Belgians allowed to visit neighboring countries, France refuses them

Friday, the Belgian Minister of the Interior, Pieter De Crem had authorized from Saturday his fellow citizens to go to a neighboring country to “do their shopping“and”see their loved ones“These movements were prohibited since March 20 as part of the containment measures implemented to fight the pandemic caused by the coronavirus.

Only visits by an elderly parent to an Ehpad (establishment for the elderly) or the movement of a child in shared custody or a frontier worker were authorized. However if in Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, the Belgians were able to cross the border without problems – the head of Luxembourg diplomacy, Jean Asselborn also welcomed this decision-, it is not the case in France.

Here, the police are still asking for a certificate with good professional or family reasons to let in foreign, Belgian or other neighbors.

Half turn at the border

“Since this morning, more than a hundred vehicles have had to turn around“explains to AFP on condition of anonymity one of the three policemen on duty at the Saint-Aybert border post, on the highway linking Brussels to Paris.”We received no new directives, we were told to continue the checks as before“, he added.

Among the expelled drivers, sadness dominates. “We are disappointed“, tears in the eyes reacts Renée-France Ringard, a Belgian of about fifty years who expected to find her father living in Croix, in the suburbs of Lille. She has not seen him since the confinement, there is now over two and a half months. “The policeman explained to us that there is no consultation between the French and the Belgians“, she says.”We walked the car“, concludes this Brussels woman to sum up her day.

Same disappointment for Yvon Mathurin and Paule Wetz, a couple in their fifties, who were delighted to see their daughter and their grandchildren, residing in Aniche (France). “On television, we saw the Belgian minister say that visits were authorized, as well as races. We are very surprised, it seems unfair, there is no coordination in Europe“said the fifty-something. And her husband added:”We don’t know what to expect, governments should agree“.

Residing in Pont-à-Celles (south of Brussels), they left with the pastries purchased to celebrate their reunion with their grandchildren whom they have not seen since February.

Slightly less bitter, André Dhaeyer, living in Quaregnon, wanted to go to France to “buy water and cheese“.”This morning, listening to the radio, I believed it. Information does not flow well“, he complains, before adding that he”was not going to die of thirst“, However.

According to our colleagues from The voice of the North, the concrete studs that separated Mouscron from Wattrelos were removed yesterday Saturday afternoon. While the border is still officially closed.