THE HAGUE - The largest governing faction, MFK, responded to the proposed amendment of the Netherlands Curaçao Tax Regulation (BRNC) by suggesting that the Netherlands should take a good look in the mirror before accusing Curaçao of being a tax haven.
“Repeatedly, Curaçao is labeled a tax haven, which is not the case. Curaçao does indeed adhere to international norms and conditions. The faction believes that the Netherlands should reflect upon itself. The faction refers to a report from De Volkskrant stating that 'the Netherlands is not just a tax haven for American multinationals; it is the tax haven.”
MFK also points to statements made by former State Secretary of Finance, Willem Vermeend: "He recently said during a lecture in Curaçao to the people of Curaçao: 'Forget financial services,' which essentially means: look for something else. This mindset is shared by many prominent figures in the Netherlands. It's painful when your Kingdom partner, which has signed agreements with many countries and could make a difference not only for Curaçao but also for other countries within the Kingdom, positions itself in this way."
Coalition partner PNP is concerned that the proposed changes will greatly impact Curaçao's economic development. "The faction would like to know if the proposed Kingdom law could become an obstacle causing Curaçao to miss out on potential investments. After all, it's claimed that Curaçao is portrayed as a tax haven, while the Netherlands itself ranks fourth on the world list of tax havens."