Member of Parliament Xiomara Maduro is questioning Minister of Finance Geoffrey Wever after an official document published in the Landscourant on July 10, 2026, raised important questions regarding the increase in excise duties (accijns) on gasoline and diesel on July 8.
According to Maduro, the issue is not just whether the government can increase excise duties, but whether the legally prescribed procedure was followed. “In a constitutional state, the government cannot simply make a decision. When the law prescribes a procedure, this procedure must be followed. This is precisely what we are questioning,” Maduro stated.
In the official document, the minister indicates that the excise duty was adjusted and has been effective since July 8, 2026. However, the same document contains the following phrase: “…anticipating codification in legislation and awaiting the adoption of a National Decree (Landsbesluit)…”
This phrase raises a fundamental question: “If the minister himself acknowledges that the Landsbesluit was still ‘pending,’ what was the legal basis for the increase that went into effect on July 8? This is a completely legitimate question that the public deserves a clear answer to.”
Maduro emphasizes that the document ‘Continuation of the Temporary Excise Duty Reduction Decree 2026’, published in the Landscourant and signed by the minister, is not a Landsbesluit. The document itself refers to a Landsbesluit, containing general measures, that is still awaiting drafting.
In other words, the minister himself, in his own document and using his own words, states that the Landsbesluit was ‘pending’. Thus, there was no legal basis. Maduro stresses that this matter touches upon a fundamental principle of good governance: no one, not even a minister, is above the law.
“When the government demands that citizens follow the law, the government itself is the first one called to set a good example. Transparency and respect for the Rule of Law are not optional.”
MP Maduro asks Minister Wever to provide clarity and explain to the public:
What is the legal basis for the excise duty increase that went into effect on July 8, 2026?
Why does the document declare that the Landsbesluit was still “pending”?
What is the procedure for increasing excise duties in accordance with the Landsverordening accijns en minerale oliën (National Ordinance on Excise Duties on Mineral Oils)?
“When there are doubts about the legal procedure to increase a tax that affects all citizens, the government has an obligation to respond with legal documents and arguments. Transparency strengthens trust in our institutions.”
