Transparency is not optional
Member of Parliament Xiomara Maduro has expressed deep concern over the way Minister Gerlien Croes continues to refuse to provide clarity regarding her official trips on a private jet, despite the fact that two official instances of our Rule of Law have already intervened in the matter.
According to Maduro, this case has gone far beyond a simple request for information from Parliament. Now, the LAR Objection Advisory Committee (Bezwaaradviescommissie LAR) has also confirmed that, as of July 10, 2026, the advice regarding the objections has been handed over to the minister for her to make a decision. According to the official letter, the minister has a period of 6 weeks to make a corresponding decision.
Two official instances are involved in this case: Parliament and the LAR Objection Advisory Committee. However, the minister chooses to ignore both. “To this day, the people have not seen the receipt for the work trip on the private jet,” Maduro stated.
The parliamentarian emphasized that this attitude sends a very concerning signal regarding good governance. When a minister ignores official questions from Parliament and, at the same time, ignores the legal process established in the National Ordinance on Administrative Jurisdiction (Landsverordening Administratieve Rechtspraak – LAR), the public’s trust in the government grows weaker.
This is not only a lack of respect for Parliament, but also for the legal process and for the institution that bears the responsibility of overseeing that administrative decisions follow the law. Maduro emphasizes that transparency cannot depend on whether a minister wants to cooperate or not. “Transparency and accountability are not optional; they are obligations. When a person holds a public office, they have the moral and legal duty to account for their actions, the use of the people’s resources, and the manner in which they perform their function.”
MP Maduro concluded that the people expected a government that leads with transparency and integrity: “The people expected better from the leader of FUTURO. But to this day, what we see is zero point zero. While legitimate questions remain unanswered and the proof of payment for the private jet trip is not presented, concerns over the lack of transparency continue to grow.”