Members of Parliament felt intimidated on Thursday when they received a letter from Farmers Defense Force at home, delivered by bailiffs. The professional group of bailiffs understands the unpleasant feeling that the Members of Parliament experienced, but says that delivery of the letter could not be refused.
Farmers Defense Force (FDF) had the letter delivered to members of Parliament from the coalition parties on Thursday. The farmers’ organization wanted to persuade politicians not to agree to the province’s new agricultural plans on Friday.
The members of Parliament who received the letter felt intimidated. On Friday, all political parties spoke out against FDF’s action, as did Agriculture Minister Femke Wiersma. On Friday, a meeting was held in the provincial government building about the plans that FDF is fighting against. When FDF leader Mark van den Oever spoke, coalition parties left the room in response to Thursday’s intimidating action.
Not the intention of the bailiff
The Royal Professional Organization of Bailiffs (KBvG) says it can imagine that members of Parliament were shocked when a bailiff showed up at their house on Thursday. “We find it particularly annoying that they experienced this as a way to intimidate them. That was of course never the bailiff’s intention,” the KBvG said in a response.
The KBvG believes that the farmers’ organization has gone too far in sending the letter. “We think it is undesirable for ministers and politicians to be approached at their private addresses, especially when it comes to political or social messages.”
Politicians have no special status
Professor Kasper Krzeminski specializes in the position of the bailiff. According to him, it is logical that politicians received the letter at home. “In the law, politicians have no special status. The bailiff simply comes to people’s homes at such times,” he says about sending the letter. This will therefore not be issued at, for example, the provincial government office or a party office. According to Krzeminski, a bailiff is used when people, in this case FDF, want to be sure that a letter reaches the right person.
“The bailiff is a special civil servant and delivering a letter falls under the ministry’s obligation.” Delivering the letter is separate from its contents, Krzeminski emphasizes. “Bailiffs only assess whether the content is contrary to public order. The responsibility for the content lies entirely with the sender.”
Couldn’t refuse
KBvG therefore says that the bailiff, in this case a company from Weert, simply could not refuse delivery of the letter. “The only legal reason not to deliver such a letter is if it is contrary to public order or good morals. That is not the case here,” the KBvG ruled.