THE HAGUE - The Dutch Parliament has passed a motion introduced by Member of Parliament Aukje de Vries (VVD), calling for a stronger approach by the Netherlands to address integrity violations in the governments of Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten. The motion was approved despite opposition from the ruling party NSC and other parties.
The motion was supported by a majority in the House, including the PVV, VVD, BBB, CDA, SP, SGP, Forum for Democracy, and JA21. Those who voted against it included NSC, GroenLinks-PvdA, D66, Denk, Volt, PvdD, and ChristenUnie. State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Zsolt Szabó has announced plans to present concrete proposals in the spring.
The motion highlights several ongoing cases where politicians and officials in Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten are suspected of or have been convicted of corruption, abuse of power, money laundering, and related offenses. Despite efforts to combat undermining crime, corruption, and nepotism, the motion argues that these measures have not yet produced sufficient results or impact.
The Parliament expressed the belief that ensuring effective law enforcement, the rule of law, and the integrity of government must be given higher priority in these countries. The motion emphasized that all citizens of the islands deserve a government that serves them, rather than one focused on self-interest.
The Dutch government has been tasked with implementing a more robust approach by the first half of 2025. The plan includes stronger measures to combat fraud, undermining crime, and corruption, and to promote integrity, with clear consequences for ineffective actions.
The Dutch government is expected to develop specific proposals to tackle these issues, ensuring the results of these efforts are measurable and impactful.