Dutch Parliament asks Minister of Foreign Affairs (Verhagen) to file a lawsuit against Eveline Herfkens of UNDP and demand return of funds

Dat blijkt uit documenten die De Telegraaf in bezit heeft.

Evenals andere VN-beambten kreeg Herfkens in november 2002 een stafbulletin waarin staat dat extraatjes van andere overheden of andere bronnen verboden zijn.

Terugbetalen
Waarschijnlijk zal de oud-PvdA-minister voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking de kwart miljoen dollar huurvergoeding die zij voor een appartement in New York ontving daarom alsnog moeten terugbetalen.

Het kabinet heeft tot nu toe steeds gezegd dat het onduidelijk is of Herfkens had moeten weten dat zij geen vergoedingen van het het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken mocht aannemen.

Rechtszaak
Een rechtszaak om het geld terug te vorderen zou daarom vrijwel kanslooszijn, zei minister Maxime Verhagen (Buitenlandse Zaken) vorige week nog.

Tweede-Kamerlid Arend Jan Boekestijn (VVD) vindt dat het Herfkens aan 'moreel besef ontbreekt'. Verhagen zou alsnog naar de rechter moeten om het geld terug te vorderen.

UNDP programs in Panama to be reviewed

PANAMA. The Ministry of Economy and Finance is going to have a meeting with representatives of the Development Program of the United Nations (PNUD) over the next few days to discuss the advisory projects that organization has with the Panamanian government.

The Minister of Economy and Finance, Alberto Vallarino has questioned the amount of money that the State has paid to PNUD advisors, because some of them were receiving salaries higher than those earned by ministers.

Vallarino said that although the PNUD is giving advice to the government, the money that it is handling comes from the National Treasury.

The minister said that he called PNUD after the second meeting of the National Economic Council (CENA) place to gain information about the resources the government invested in those programs.

In April this year it was $48 million, which was considerably lower that it was in February, when it was of $59 million.

“What we want from PNUD is clarification of the program’s expenses. This goes beyond the PNUD. It has to do with putting the public finances in order,” said Vallarino.

“We do not want to have any problems with the United Nations, because we appreciate the work they are doing for Panama, but we need to know more,” said the minister.

Vallarino also said that currently his ministry is investigating the concessions given to the Fish and Yacht Club.

The letter was sent to its board of directors asking to appoint three representatives to talk with the General Comptroller and the Ministry of Finance with regards to the landfills.

BNR NIEUWSRADIO: HERFKENS

 

De radio van vrijdag

Herfkens
De oppositie in de Tweede Kamer wil alsnog geld zien van Eveline Herfkens. Haar aanbod een jaar lang gratis te werken voor VN-vluchtelingenorganisatie UNDP is "not good enough" voor SP, VVD en de Partij voor de Vrijheid. Herfkens ontving ten onrechte bijna drie ton aan huursubsidie van Nederland voor haar appartement in New York.Luister naar BNR-politiek verslaggever Hugo Reitsma.

Rentgate damages reputations

27-03-2008
by political editor John Tyler

Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen had some explaining to do in parliament on Thursday. Members of the opposition accused him of misinforming parliament in a scandal involving a former Dutch politician, the United Nations, and a luxury New York apartment.

The controversy centres around former Labour Party Development Minister Eveline Herfkens, and a rental subsidy she received from the Dutch government while working for the UNDP. Starting in late 2002, Ms Herfkens received $7,000 per month to pay for a luxury apartment in New York City. Over the years, her living arrangements cost the Dutch taxpayer $280,000.

Against UN rules
It came to light last year that this arrangement was against UN rules. For this and other reasons, the UNDP put Ms Herfkens on non-active status, and both the UN and the Dutch government opened inquiries to find out who was responsible.

On the basis of his own inquiries, Foreign Minister Verhagen informed parliament that it was not possible to ascertain who had initiated the subsidy construction - Mrs Herfkens or the foreign ministry.

But this week a member of the Socialist Party produced an internal foreign ministry memo, dated October, 2002, in which the ministry seems to suggest the subsidy construction. This led to the accusation that Minister Verhagen was holding something back.

Mr Verhagen vehemently denies that he has been less than fully cooperative. He says prior to the October memo, there was at least one meeting between Ms Herfkens and foreign ministry officials.

"It's absolutely not true that I misinformed parliament. I told parliament that it's not obvious which side took the initiative for getting the rental subsidy. I can't see, in all the documents, who took the initiative, Ms Herfkens or the government."

MPs want their money back
In addition to finding out how this situation came to pass, a majority in parliament would also like Herfkens to pay the money back. Mr Verhagen says the chance of this happening is very small. She has already declined a request to return the subsidy voluntarily, and the Foreign Minister thinks the government does not have a good legal case to force her to do so.

But many parliamentarians disagree. Member of parliament from the Conservative VVD party, Arend Jan Boekestijn, says he will submit a motion requiring Herfkens to reimburse the government, and he thinks a majority in parliament will support it.

Asked how Minister Verhagen comes out of the affair, Mr Boekestijn replied:

"Weakened. But that's also his own position because he admitted that the foreign ministry did a very bad job."