News item | 19-09-2023 | 15:35
Organized, subversive crime has a major impact on society. Guardians of the rule of law, such as journalists and lawyers, are threatened by criminals. They must be able to do their work freely. That is why the government is investing heavily in combating undermining crime. In addition, every child should grow up safely. This requires good youth protection. That is why the government is investing extra in youth protection this year. People come to the Netherlands for work, study, love or protection. We have to organize this well in the Netherlands. The government is therefore making money available for stable reception capacity, strengthening legal migration and promoting the return process.
Protecting the democratic constitutional state
We must protect the functioning of our democratic constitutional state and continue the investigation and prosecution of criminals with full force. The government is therefore making an additional €112 million available on a structural basis to improve and expand the surveillance and security system. To prevent criminal organizations from gaining the upper hand, we work together with the police, the Public Prosecution Service and the judiciary as well as private partners and we implement policy at all levels; international, national and local. This approach rests on four pillars:
- preventing vulnerable young people from ending up or sliding further into crime,
- disrupting the revenue model and breaking through criminal networks,
- punishing perpetrators, and
- protecting the people who are on the front line of the response every day.
The digital threat from criminals and other countries is also as great as ever and is constantly changing. This poses risks to citizens and organizations that can lead to financial damage and damage to the functioning of Dutch society. That is why we must adhere to and implement the Dutch Cybersecurity Strategy 2022-2028.
Investments in Youth Protection
Every child has the right to grow up and develop safely at home. When this is in danger, help and support must be offered to families. A judge can impose youth protection on parents if a child under the age of 18 cannot grow up safely in a family. This year, the government is allocating €43 million for youth protection, taking an important step towards structurally solving the problems in this sector. This money should, among other things, reduce the workload for youth protection professionals. Efforts are made to attract new youth protectors as well as to retain existing youth protectors. The aim is to give youth protectors more time to better help vulnerable children and families.
Youth protection is a joint responsibility of the government, municipalities and Certified Institutions. After this year, the government will structurally allocate €50 million annually for youth protection.
Improving and strengthening legal migration
People will also migrate to the Netherlands in 2024. For work, study, love or protection. The government is making more than €4 billion available to better manage the inflow, stimulate flow and realize outflow more quickly. In this way we improve and strengthen legal migration by carefully deciding on residence applications. We are also working towards stable reception capacity to better cope with fluctuations in the influx of asylum seekers. This fixed capacity at COA will be gradually expanded to 41,000 places. Municipalities are supported in creating shelters. And if people are not allowed to stay, we promote their return to their country of origin. In addition, it is expected that the European Temporary Protection Directive for Ukrainian displaced persons will be extended by one year. In 2024, €3.2 billion has been budgeted for municipal and private shelter for displaced people from Ukraine.