GroenLinks-PvdA leader Frans Timmermans supports the proposal of Volt faction leader Laurens Dassen to uncover the truth about which Dutch politicians may have been guilty of propagating pro-Russian positions in exchange for bribes. “If someone is mentioned, the bottom stone must be lifted,” says Timmermans in Op1 on NPO 1.
News from the Czech Republic has kept the Dutch political landscape busy in recent days. The Voice of Europe medium revealed that several Dutch politicians had close ties with the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin and allegedly received money to take pro-Russian positions.
A matter of time
It is not yet known who exactly it concerns. It is also not known whether these are (current) members of the House of Representatives or, for example, members of the European Parliament.
It is said that the names will be released soon by Czech intelligence. However, Dutch law prescribes that when it comes to politicians, intelligence services are not allowed to say who they are. The question remains whether the public will find out which politicians are involved.
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The names may come to light through journalism. Or via a centuries-old law from 1855: Ministerial Responsibility and Official Offenses for Members of the States General, Ministers and State Secretaries Act. That law prescribes that if five MPs file charges – and a majority of the House of Representatives supports this – against a colleague for committing an official offense, a committee consisting of MPs can be set up to investigate. That could eventually lead to a case.
‘The bottom stone must be raised’
This has never happened in the Netherlands, but that has not stopped Volt leader Laurens Dassen from resorting to the remedy when names of Dutch MPs are actually mentioned. When asked whether Frans Timmersmans, as party leader of GroenLinks-PvdA, will become one of the five MPs and support Dassen in his proposal, he says: “I think so.”
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Volt leader Laurens Dassen wants to use an old law from 1855 to clarify possible interference by the Russians in Dutch politics. @F__Timmermans supports him. “But there are also other options. You can also revoke diplomatic immunity.” #Op1 #WNL pic.twitter.com/4RG9SMhyUf
— Op1 (@op1npo) March 29, 2024
Timmermans makes a comment on this. “There are also other means,” he says. “You can also revoke the parliamentary immunity of MPs and then they can simply be prosecuted.”
“But,” Timmermans continues. “If someone is named, the bottom stone must be lifted and then the Public Prosecution Service must also be brought into action. Through this law or in some other way, because it is an official offense.”
Openness of finances
The leader of GroenLinks-PvdA wants to use this situation to reinforce his call for all parties to be more open about finances. “Open the books and show where your money comes from,” says Timmermans, who focuses in particular on the PVV and faction leader Geert Wilders. “They never want to provide insight into where their money comes from.”
Also read:
Czech Republic: Russian propaganda network paid European politicians, name Baudet is mentioned
Door: Vick ten Wolde
2024-03-29 22:16:00
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