Faber: no research required for claim that Efteling outing has sucking effect on refugees

According to Minister Marjolein Faber (asylum and migration, PVV), an « expensive Efteling outing » does not fit for asylum seekers for the intention of the cabinet to « relieve the asylum reception and prevent nuisance in asylum seekers’ centers. » An amusement park visit would also have « a suction effect » on new groups of refugees. The minister said that on Tuesday during the oral question time in the plenary room of the Lower House.

Faber announced last Friday that she wants to cut back on the activity budget of the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). Prime Minister Dick Schoof later said that the plan was not discussed in the Friday Council of Ministers.

During the question time, the minister responded to questions from MP Stephan van Baarle (DENK), who wanted to know why the policy change is needed and how it will be shaped. Van Baarle finds Fabers desire to cut back on the budget ‘derogatory, bullying and low’. Is the Government Policy plan or a Faber test balloon itself, the DENK leader wanted to know.

Faber recognizes the European reception guidelines, which prescribe that minor asylum seekers are entitled to leisure activities. For example, asylum seekers can « kick a ball », organize a « craft afternoon » or bake « cookies, » she says.

According to Van Baarle, Faber cannot demonstrate that an Efteling outing or similar activities have a suction effect on asylum seekers. In addition, the activity budget must be issued on the basis of Article 31 of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, he says.

« I don’t need any research to draw this conclusion, » says Faber. « It is as ready as a knob. If you are going to reward bad behavior with an expensive outing to the Efteling, that it is attractive. »

Efteling outing

At the beginning of this month, Minister Faber got involved with a planned outing of a group of unaccompanied minor aliens (AMV members) to Efteling. « I think it is on-out-to-be to send these young people to the Efteling at the expense of the taxpayer. No question, » she wrote in a message on X. She announced in the same message with the COA, which is responsible for the reception of asylum seekers, to start a conversation. That conversation has not yet taken place.

The outing to the Efteling was conceived by the COA in the Frisian Sint Annaparochie, because the coming weekend wants to prevent tensions during the annual village festival. Last year a confrontation took place between AMV people and local youth during the village festival. It ended in a stabbing in which three villagers were injured. The AMV members were then transferred to another asylum shelter.

After Faber’s resistance on X, the COA decided to cancel the outing to Efteling. It wants to protect the group of 44 minor asylum seekers against further media attention, for example camera crews that could wait at the entrance of the amusement park. The implementing organization then devised an alternative. That too could not get Faber’s approval.

Last Friday, Faber announced after the Council of Ministers that she wants to cut back on the COA activities budget. « It is not a holiday resort, there is a horrible amount of money to that entire asylum shelter, » she said. Although it acknowledges that the implementing organization is an independent administrative body, which means, among other things, that the independent decides on the budgets. But the asylum minister also states that the COA depends on money « which comes to them through the cabinet ». Faber: « Whoever pays determines. That is a rule that has always been there. »

The minister is clearly not in favor of ‘all those outings’, but the question is how much influence she can exert on the activity budget. That budget is regulated by law. For example, the law prescribes that COA must organize recreational and educational activities for its residents. It is uncertain whether and how far the implementing organization wants to bow to Fabers wish to ‘beautify’ the recreation of asylum seekers as much as possible.

In response to Fabers opits against outings of minor asylum seekers, several a crowdfunding campaigns were started. In total, more than 200,000 euros were raised. That amount will be donated to various charities that are concerned with refugee children.

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