The Dutch government is partly guaranteed to guarantee the four stolen masterpieces from the Drents Museum. Minister Eppo Bruins confirms this to RTV Drenthe. He cannot say what amount it is. “That is still not clear.”
The helmet and the three bracelets that were stolen from the Drents Museum last week are insured for 5.8 million euros. “Part of the risk lies with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science,” says Bruins. “It means that we are also partly at risk for theft, loss or damage.”
There is a scheme for that all museums can use for temporary exhibitions. The result is that the insurance premium can go down. “That makes it easier for museums to show these kinds of beautiful objects to the public,” he refers to the stolen golden helmet. “This is how we share the risk. Because otherwise it will be priceless for museums.”
The four art treasures that were stolen from the Drents Museum were on loan from the Romanian National History Museum. In total it involved 673 objects that came from Romania during the exhibition. Together they are insured for around 30.3 million euros. The absolute masterpiece, the golden helmet from 450 BC, was insured for 4.3 million euros.
“It is horrible what happened here. This is very bad for the museum and the entire museum sector. But also for the Romanians. What has been stolen has a great cultural -historical value. It is indescribable. The brutal violence with which the thieves have arrived is is, is horrible. “
Rap was already rapid criticism from Romania. For example, the Romanian Prime Minister said that the Netherlands can look forward to ‘unprecedented claim’. That claim does not seem to have come there for the time being. “As far as I don’t know,” the minister responds. “We have no information about that.”
He speaks of good contact with the Romanians. “We don’t talk through the media. We call each other and we often have contact. This is so important for the Romanian people.” He says that there has already been contact at all levels, for example with the prime minister, the ambassador and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Culture.
“We need each other. We have to make sure that those objects come back. We have those suspects in the collar. Now the objects, that’s what it’s all about. We have to do everything to find them.”
Today the Drents Museum opened its doors again for the public. “Dapper”, the minister calls that. The normal exhibitions can be seen. The space where the robbery was remains closed to the public for a while.
Minister Bruins also visited. “I am here to talk to employees. They have had a horrible week. They were terribly shocked, so I wanted to support them. That is why I thought: ‘I have to go to them, I want to know how they are there ‘. “
View the interview with Minister Bruins: