Oostappen Groep, the holiday park company of Peter Gillis, has to pay a fine of 250,000 euros to the municipality of Peel en Maas for illegally housing migrant workers at the De Berckt holiday park in Baarlo, Limburg. Gillis confirms this to the ANP after reporting by De Telegraaf.
“The letter is on the mat,” Gillis says. “Before July 10, I have to pay a penalty of 250,000 euros.” Gillis could not say anything more about the reason for the fine. “I still have to figure all that out.” The owner of the holiday park did know that the park in Baarlo had recently been inspected. “I have to ask the manager of that park further.” Two years ago, the municipality of Peel en Maas already threatened with a fine for illegally housing migrant workers.
Systematically breaking rules
Gillis, who can be seen in the SBS6 reality soap Familie Gillis: Massa is Kassa, was negative in the news earlier this month due to alleged abuses at his holiday parks. The Eindhovens Dagblad told a big story about Gillis and how he would systematically break rules. Five mayors of municipalities where he is active are therefore considering revocation of permits. Roland van Kessel, mayor of the municipality of Cranendonck, even intends to refuse the liquor and catering license.
In a response, Gillis said that he does not recognize himself in the story. “I’ve always been able to read and write with municipalities, but if they get assignments nationwide, then I don’t know what happens. But I’m also an entrepreneur, so yes I do look for the edge at some point,” he told Omroep Brabant.
Long research
The state of affairs at Gillis’s parks has been investigated for some time by the judiciary. During a large-scale raid by the FIOD and the police in May 2019, among other things, migrant workers were found who had been housed illegally. Violations in the field of fire safety were also noted.