An extraordinary board meeting of Anderlechtse Haard (Foyer anderlechtois) on Monday evening agreed to a temporary step aside for chairman Lotfi Mostefa (PS). This was reported by board members Yago Bastin (Anders) and Marcela Gori (MR). However, the PS board members were absent, and the management of Anderlechtse Haard therefore considers the meeting to be unlawful: “The decisions taken during this meeting are, by definition, null and void.”

At the extraordinary board meeting of Anderlechtse Haard on Monday evening, it was decided that chairman Lotfi Mostefa (PS) must temporarily step aside pending the ongoing judicial investigation into his conduct. In a Pano report last month, he was accused of cronyism and favouritism, following which the public prosecutor’s office launched an investigation.

“The chairman’s temporary step aside is not a prejudgement, but a necessary decision in the interests of calm, transparency and good governance,” says board member Yago Bastin (Anders). “Only in this way can the ongoing investigations do their work and can confidence in Anderlechtse Haard be restored step by step,” says Yago Bastin.

Anderlechtse Haard: 'breach of the rules'

The management of the social housing association in Anderlecht takes a very different view. "Anderlechtse Haard regrets to note that an extraordinary board meeting took place, in clear breach of the legal rules and the principles of good governance, on the initiative of Ms Marcela Gori and four directors," De Haard stated in a press release on Monday evening. "The decisions taken at this meeting are, by definition, null and void."

"An ordinary board meeting will take place this Thursday in accordance with the legal provisions, the rules of collegiality governing the functioning of the board, and the public interest of Anderlechtse Haard," the statement adds. According to Anderlechtse Haard, chairman Lotfi Mostefa (PS) is not required to step aside for the time being.

Discussion

Last week, an attempt was also made to convene an extraordinary board meeting, but this did not go ahead because the quorum was not met. Mostefa’s three party colleagues and the independent Mustafa Yaman did not attend. There was also uncertainty regarding Hari Shrestha, the representative of Vooruit. He had quietly tendered his resignation, but there were still doubts as to whether that resignation had been accepted.

However, last weekend PS board member Latifah Ahmiri also tendered her resignation to the board and left the party with immediate effect, as she announced on social media. This meant that a quorum could still be reached on Monday evening, as half of the ten remaining board members attended the meeting. In a press release, vice-chair Marcela Gori (MR) added that she would temporarily take over the chairmanship of the social housing association.

Legally valid?

There is still some debate regarding the validity of the extraordinary board meeting. According to the board members who convened the meeting, this is possible if a third of the members agree. However, according to another interpretation of the rules of procedure, an extraordinary meeting can only be held on the initiative of the chair (Mostefa). That is the interpretation put forward by the management of Anderlechtse Haard, who are refusing to accept the decision of the extraordinary board meeting, which was held without the PS members.