The Ministry of Asylum and Migration demands that the municipality of Westerwolde immediately terminate the free shuttle bus between the registration center in Ter Apel and Emmen station. The ministry speaks of an undesirable situation and of a reward for nuisance behavior.
This is evident from a letter from the ministry to Mayor Jaap Velema of Westerwolde, which RTV Drenthe has seen.
According to the letter from the ministry, it has always been clear that asylum seekers must pay a fee for using the shuttle bus. “That is also logical, since the shuttle bus temporarily replaces the regular regional transporter, for which a contribution is also charged,” the ministry said. The letter closes with a call to ensure that asylum seekers buy a ticket again.
The shuttle bus was originally set up to reduce the inconvenience of asylum seekers on regular public transport and runs directly from the station in Emmen to the asylum seeker center in Ter Apel. The ministry finances the bus and the municipality of Westerwolde arranges the tender until 2026.
Last week, a pilot was announced allowing asylum seekers to travel for free, a decision that caused unrest. According to the municipality, the costs were temporarily covered in another way. In practice, however, confusion arose, some rides were free and others were not.
State Secretary Mona Keijzer announced on Monday during a visit to Ter Apel that free transport for asylum seekers is undesirable. She called on municipalities to adhere to existing agreements, and emphasized that if free transport is offered, this must be financed by the municipality itself.