MPs want to know how it could come to this that King Willem-Alexander and his family flew to Greece for a holiday yesterday, while the Netherlands is in partial lockdown and people are asked to travel as little as possible. GroenLinks and SP want Prime Minister Rutte to say when he was aware of the trip and whether he objected to it.
MPs from those parties have asked written questions about this. Normally, Rutte would have been asked for an explanation in the Chamber next week, but there are no meetings due to the autumn recess. However, contrary to usual, a cabinet meeting with press conference is planned for next Friday. The cabinet has decided to do so because of the increasing number of corona infections.
Prime Minister Rutte does not want to respond to questions from the press about the matter today. Last night, after the king had made it clear that he would abort his holiday because of all the angry reactions, the Government Information Service (RVD) announced that the prime minister was aware of the royal holiday. The statement also stated that the prime minister always has ministerial responsibility. That is to say: even if it concerns a private trip of the head of state.
The RVD does not want to say anything about how the decision to return came about and who was involved in it. It is only said that the royal couple is shocked by all the violent reactions.
Completely underestimated
According to political reporter Ron Fresen, it is obvious that Rutte was informed of the holiday plans last Monday, during the weekly consultation with the king. The prime minister may not have realized how sensitive this was, also because it was formally according to the rules. After all, the Greek mainland is yellow area.
“We don’t know if he advised the king to go,” says Fresen. “Those conversations always remain confidential, the secret of the palace. But it is clear that Rutte has completely underestimated it. Otherwise he would have informed his replacement at the press conference, Deputy Prime Minister De Jonge. And he clearly knew about it. nothing.”
The spokesman for the RVD, who stood next to De Jonge, was probably aware of it, Fresen thinks. “But he couldn’t do much more than repeat the words of De Jonge, otherwise he would have been completely in his shirt.”
All in all, GroenLinks and the SP therefore want further explanation. They point out that the royal family’s holiday really sent the wrong signal. SP Member of Parliament Van Raak wants to know who has decided that the king should return and whether there are still constitutional consequences if the head of state “undermines the credibility of the cabinet policy”.
Unlimited use of government aircraft
Yesterday afternoon King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and their children flew in the government plane to Greece. That aircraft, with registration code PH-GOV, is in principle always available to the king.
The government decision states that he has priority over ministers and that the king and his wife can make unlimited use of the government aircraft or aircraft of the air force. However, the Royal Family Service must submit a request to the ‘flight coordinator’ of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. The costs are borne by the budget of the Royal House. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs only pays for state visits.
King Willem-Alexander and his family are expected back in the Netherlands during the day. As soon as they arrive, the royal flag, also known as the royal standard, will fly at Huis ten Bosch Palace and Noordeinde Palace.
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