The VVD in the Senate supports the dispersal law. Senator Marian Kaljouw said this, ANP reports. With the support of the liberals, a majority of the Senate is in favor of the law.
With the dispersal law, asylum seekers should be distributed more fairly across the country. This will relieve the overcrowded registration center in Ter Apel. In extreme cases, municipalities can be forced to take in asylum seekers.
“We must divide the task more fairly,” Kaljouw said in the debate on the distribution law. “My group sees that a substantial part of the municipalities in our country do not care when it comes to the reception of asylum seekers.”
The VVD says it does not want to abandon administrators in the Netherlands. Moreover, the Senate faction wants to respond to the wishes of municipalities and provinces.
In addition to a fair distribution, the VVD wants to make the asylum policy stricter on various points. Stricter admission requirements and intake restrictions must be implemented. Those who cause nuisance must be dealt with “severely”. “For my group it is extremely important that these people are quickly returned to their country of origin,” Kaljouw said.
The Senate factions of PVV and JA21 reacted strongly to the VVD’s ‘turn’. D66 and GroenLinks-PvdA thanked the VVD for their support for the law.
The VVD faction in the House of Representatives previously voted against the dispersal law. Recently, VVD party leader Dilan Yesilgöz, who is also Minister of Justice and Security, tried to get the law off the table.
The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) calls it “very good news” that there appears to be a majority in the Senate in favor of the dispersal law. “But we are waiting for next week’s vote,” a spokesperson responded.
The provinces are responding “pleasedly” to the news that a majority of the Senate appears to be in favor of the dispersal law. “It is a great step to get out of this reception crisis and to distribute asylum reception equally across the country,” reports the Interprovincial Consultation. The IPO represents the interests of the twelve provinces.
According to Mayor Jaap Velema of Westerwolde, “we have made a start on a solution to the current dire situation in the shelter”. He speaks of a “positive development” and is “hopeful about next week’s vote” in the Senate.
Next Tuesday, the Senate will vote on the law, which can come into effect on February 1.