Parlamentario Eduard Pieters of the PPA faction has voiced strong objections to recent statements by Dutch Staatssecretaris Eric van der Burg regarding the Rijkswet HOFA. Pieters argues that claims of consensus surrounding the law are false and that the process lacks democratic legitimacy and broad support within Aruba.
The controversy stems from Van der Burg’s assertion that consensus exists because Minister Plenipotentiario Schwengle presented the law in the Rijksministerraad. However, Pieters contends that the Parliament of Aruba never approved the Rijkswet HOFA nor issued formal instructions to the government to proceed. He emphasized that without a parliamentary vote, there is no constitutional legitimacy to claim Aruba has agreed.
Pieters highlighted criticism from the Raad van Advies, which described the government’s handling of the process as concerning. The advisory council noted that the government bypassed its constitutional duty to seek advice and raised issues regarding the “Nemo-plus-beginsel.”
