At an MEP faction press conference, MPs Evelyn Wever-Croes (faction leader) and Xiomara Maduro briefed the public on legal advice received from Dutch scholar Prof. mr. Douwe Jan Elzinga regarding the Rijkswet and last year’s agreements with the Netherlands.
Wever-Croes outlined three points: (1) the MEP faction sought an external Dutch legal opinion to verify the soundness of its positions; (2) the agreement signed last year, in her view, does not legally bind the Government—or especially the Parliament—in the way it has been presented; and (3) she challenged Mike Eman to a public debate on the matter and has not yet received a response.
Prof. Elzinga—Emeritus Professor of Criminal and Administrative Law at the University of Groningen and former Professor at the University of Aruba (1995–2019)—provided written advice at the faction’s request. According to Wever-Croes summarizing his analysis, the Consensus Rijkswetten were originally intended to foster equal cooperation within the Kingdom but, particularly since 2010, have increasingly been used as instruments of pressure. For Aruba, he warns this could allow the Netherlands to steer Aruba’s fiscal direction, potentially eroding Parliament’s fundamental budget right and amendment right.
She added that proposed changes tied to the Kingdom law HOFA would require Dutch approval before Aruba could alter future legislation—contrary to Aruba’s Constitution, per the advice. Moreover, the envisaged supervision under HOFA would be permanent rather than temporary, making it difficult for Aruba to exit such oversight. Based on these concerns, Prof. Elzinga outlined alternatives for consideration, Wever-Croes said.
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