SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Immigration minister Marjolein Faber is planning to change the rules so that asylum seekers under the age of 18 who are convicted of a serious crime can be deported more quickly.

At the moment, refugees who are minors can lose their residency permits or be refused refugee status if they are convicted of a crime under adult law and sentenced to at least six months in jail.

This was a political choice and not part of any international agreements, giving Faber a free hand to make changes. The minister now wants every sentence for a serious crime to be taken into consideration when looking at whether to withdraw or refuse a residency permit.

“Then we can do all we can to remove this scum from the country,” Faber said. “I am not talking about stealing a packet of sweets, but about serious crimes.”

Faber first mentioned the move in December but has now picked it up again following the publication of details about a rape case in Helmond at the end of 2023.

Five asylum seekers, all below the age of 18 and all in the Netherlands without family, attacked and raped a woman who had been sitting alone in a park multiple times. On Monday, it emerged that four had been sentenced to up to 15 months’ youth detention for rape, and the fifth to four months for sexual assault.

The change in the rules would mean “they draw the short straw”, Faber said. “We are now working on expelling them. They are the reason we are speeding up the process. And they are a warning to others that we will not accept this.”

Faber said she did not know if the youngsters had residency permits or where they came from, but said the IND would be able to apply the new rules to them. “And I take it that they are in detention, so we know where they are and we can deport them,” she said.

The low sentences handed down to the youngsters have also caused a political outcry, particularly the decision to try them under juvenile law. They were aged 16 and 17 at the time, and the maximum sentence for rape in the Netherlands under adult law is 12 years.

Last year, 960 foreign nationals who were convicted of serious crimes were deported after serving their sentence, some 80% of the total, the Telegraaf reported earlier this week.

(DutchNews)

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Fatbikes are safer than ordinary bicycles and ebikes because of their wide tyres and low instep, according to a report drawn up for infrastructure minister Barry Madlener.

The minister commissioned the report after MP asked him to make helmets compulsory for fatbike users and bring in an age limit, because of mounting concern about their safety. The bikes are popular with young teenagers and are often souped up to speeds of over 25 kph.

The minister has said it will be difficult to single out fatbikes and said that new rules will probably have to include all ebikes – which MPs do not want.

Many road safety issues are now collectively called the “fatbike problem” while they are nothing to do with the bike in principle,” Hans Godefrooij of research bureau DTV said.

In addition, applying rules to fatbikes based on specific features such as the width of their tyres would be easy to get round, Godefrooij said.

It would be better, he said, to gain a more understanding of rider behaviour and the facts and circumstances which contribute to accidents involving fatbikes before imposing new rules.

Madlener is contemplating other measures but has not come up with anything so far, a ministry spokesman told the AD.

Following a week-long monitor of A&E admissions in October last year, public safety institute VeiligheidNL found that half the people taken to hospital after an accident with their fatbike are under the age of 16. Many suffered from serious injuries, including broken bones, cerebral haemorrhages and damage to their internal organs.

(DutchNews)

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – The Dutch immigration service had to pay €36.8 million in compensation to refugees last year because it failed to assess their cases within the legal time frame.

In 2023, the total fines amounted to €11.3 million.

“Even though the IND processed more applications than in previous years, we still could not keep up,” the service said in a statement. Around 75,000 people are currently waiting for a decision, and the average waiting time has increased from 70 to 84 weeks.

Asylum seekers receive €100 per day if the IND takes longer than 15 months to decide their case, up to a maximum of €7,500. The current government wants to abolish the fines altogether.

Fewer refugees

Last year, 32,180 people made their first application for refugee status in the Netherlands, a decrease compared to both 2023 and 2022.

At the same time, the number of people applying to become Dutch citizens through the naturalisation process rose by over 10,000 to 54,780 last year, with Syrians, Indians, and Turkish nationals leading the list of new Dutch citizens.

(DutchNews)

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Quicker licencing procedures for existing water extraction sites and designating new sites are two of the main measures needed to ensure the Netherlands has enough drinking water in 2030, according to a new action plan.

The plan was put together following a warning from public health organisation RIVM two years ago, citing existing regional water shortages and increasing demand boosted by economic growth and climate change. The RIVM estimated that the demand for drinking water would be over 7% higher by 2030 than in 2020.

“The situation has not improved since,” the plan said, calling for national and regional cooperation. It was drawn up by the 12 Dutch provincial authorities, water boards and the infrastructure ministry.

The RIVM said in its report the measures will require a broad consensus, which will be difficult because new water extraction sites may impact on other use including farming, industry, recreation, shipping and nature.

The government will have to take a leading role in reconciling the different and conflicting interests, the RIVM said.

The Dutch use an average of 128 litres per person per day, according to figures from 2021. The last cabinet said it aimed to bring that down to 100 litres by 2035.

Some water companies have already announced measures to discourage excessive water use, such as higher rates for filling up swimming pools.

(DutchNews)