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The Daily Herald writes that the wish of a government within the Dutch Kingdom to appoint a representative of its choice in the Council of State for the Kingdom (Raad van State voor het Koninkrijk) isn’t automatically honoured. Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk stated this on Thursday in a letter to the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament in response to written questions submitted by Members of the Second Chamber Wassila Hachchi of the Democratic Party D66 and Madeleine van Toorenburg of the Christian Democratic Party CDA.
Hachchi and Van Toorenburg sought clarification from the minister following a publication in the Dutch regional PZC newspaper of July 17 this year. In the article, the objections and disappointment of the Aruba Government were voiced about what was termed the “slow appointment” of the new representative of Oranjestad in the Council of State for the Kingdom. The new representative would replace Hubert Maduro, who recently retired. Aruba has proposed a candidate, but Minister Plasterk made clear in his answer to the questions of Hachchi and Van Toorenburg that proposing a candidate is the authority of the Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK.
“This appointment takes place based on article 13 of the Kingdom Charter in agreement with the Government of Aruba. That means that the minister of BZK has to submit a proposal that has the approval of the Government of Aruba. It doesn’t mean that the preference of the Government of Aruba directly or automatically has to result in an appointment,” stated Plasterk.
The minister further informed the Second Chamber that the name of the new Member of the Council of State is only announced after the appointment by the Kingdom Council of Ministers. He also clarified that the candidacy of persons in relation to appointments that are approved by the Kingdom Council of Ministers resorts under the compulsory confidentiality clause of the (Kingdom) Council of Ministers. As such, no name is being released at this stage.
