A tweet by editor-in-chief Rachel Frans, in which she reported that they were building up in Ter Apel, received a flood of negative reactions. ‘A report, yes, I see. But make it a whole circus? Don’t do it,” someone says. ‘Making sensational TV over the back of the people on the spot’, says another. “EO, are you going to be the Good Samaritan, but not a single fugitive at the table, or at least ten to tell their story?” says the next.
COA itself disagrees with the latter in any case. According to a spokesperson, Op1 has received permission “because it is important that attention is paid to the problems in Ter Apel. In this broadcast, it is presented broadly, with guests from politics, aid and with the people involved: (former) refugees,” he says. According to him, the themed broadcast is not necessarily very exceptional. “We allow cameras on the site so often.”
Bertus Tichelaar, during the conversation still near Emmen (“Yes, Ter Apel is really far away”), calls the live broadcast “a challenge.” But it does add something, he says. “We are at the place where things went wrong in recent weeks, when people had to sleep outside on the grass because there was no place in the shelter. There we can talk to the COA director and the location manager about what they have experienced, but also to the mayor and local residents. For example, there is also a former refugee who now works as a volunteer in Ter Apel. Look, you would never have found those people together from the studio in Hilversum.”
Studio
The talk show, which starts as usual at 10:15 pm, is presented by Margje Fikse and Giovanca Ostiana. A studio setting has been set up on the COA site, with COA board chairman Milo Schoenmaker, mayor of Westerwolde Jaap Velema, COA deputy regional manager Gert-Jan Stuivenberg, PvdA MP Kati Piri, political reporter Thomas van Groningen, among others. social worker Roos Ykema, PKN director Jurjen de Groot, party chairman CDA Westerwolde Herma Hemmen and status holders Mohammed Saadulla and Jawad Dababsi.
There is also room for critical voices, says Tichelaar. “Of course, our political editor is also there to ask what can be improved, what should be done differently, what the cabinet can do. Any question can be asked. It is a pity that we were unable to get State Secretary Eric van de Burg to sit down.” And the asylum seekers themselves? “Giovanca and Margje already spoke to a number of them on Tuesday afternoon, also with a camera. We show that in the broadcast. They are not sitting at the table because that is difficult in terms of language, in a live talk show.”