Wever-Croes rejects Van der Burg HOFA claims : MEP leader and former Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes released an official statement yesterday rejecting recent comments made by Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations, Eric van der Burg. Wever-Croes disputed Van der Burg’s claims regarding her involvement in preparing the Kingdom Act of Financial Supervision (HOFA), stating that his assertions are untrue.
Wever-Croes specifically denied the State Secretary’s declaration that she had instructed civil servants to prepare HOFA while serving as Prime Minister. She countered that the initiative for financial supervision originated from the Dutch side under former State Secretary Raymond Knops. She cited public documents to support her position, noting that the Council of State advised on the proposition on March 10, 2021, and it was submitted to the Tweede Kamer on February 9, 2022.
Furthermore, Wever-Croes highlighted that Knops had confirmed his objective was to establish supervision via a Kingdom Law. She concluded her statement by expressing the expectation that a State Secretary for Kingdom Relations should base their public statements on verifiable facts. According to reports, Van der Burg had previously emphasized that he disagrees with undermining Aruba’s autonomy, but maintained that the process was initiated by Wever-Croes. He also noted that concerns regarding financial management should be directed at the Aruban Government rather than his office.
