The Movimiento Electoral di Pueblo (MEP) faction announced that it will take the next legal steps against Gerlien Croes after, according to them, the minister failed to fulfill her obligation to respond to official questions from the Parliament of Aruba.
According to MEP faction leader Evelyn Wever-Croes, for several months they have been trying to obtain clarity on three questions related to a trip on a private jet:
- How much was paid;
- To whom it was paid;
- On what date it was paid.
MEP indicates that the questions were submitted on November 19, but until today, no concrete response has been received.
Parliamentary Procedure and LOB
According to MEP, they submitted the questions in writing and also attempted to address the issue in Parliament. They point out that the Parliament President, Marlon Sneek, did not convene a meeting to address the matter.
Subsequently, the MEP faction used the Law on Public Access to Government Information (LOB), which allows any citizen to request official information. According to the law, a minister must respond within three weeks, with the possibility of an additional three weeks if there is a justified reason.
MEP claims that after six weeks, Minister Croes responded that the request was “not properly formulated” and that she did not consider the request. However, according to MEP, the minister did not specify what was supposedly incorrect in the request.
The MEP faction gave an additional five-day period for clarification, but according to them, the February 26, 2026 deadline passed without a response.
Reference to the Ministerial Code of Conduct
The MEP faction emphasizes that all ministers are subject to a Ministerial Code of Conduct, which requires transparency, accountability, and the obligation to provide correct and timely information to Parliament. According to MEP, a minister must act according to the principles of integrity, openness, and accountability, especially when Parliament asks official questions about public expenditure.
Reference to Previous Political Pact
The MEP faction leader recalled that in the past, when Minister Croes was a parliamentarian, she formed a political alliance with Misha Raymond of the RAIZ party during a parliamentary process that led to the dismissal of Minister Endy Croes. According to MEP, this precedent shows that Minister Croes is fully aware of parliamentary rules and the responsibilities that accompany her position.
MEP argues that the lack of a clear response contradicts the spirit of this code, which aims to protect public trust in governance.
Legal Action and Independent Investigation
Seeing that no response was forthcoming, MEP is preparing a judicial process to force the minister to answer the pending questions. According to the MEP faction leader, the people of Aruba have the right to know the exact data regarding public expenditure.
Additionally, the MEP faction has submitted documentation to the Bureau of Integrity for an independent investigation into whether the minister acted in accordance with the code of conduct and rules of integrity. The dossier has also been sent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for their evaluation of whether there are any criminal aspects in the case.
Possible Political Consequences
According to the faction leader, if the results of the investigation confirm serious negligence or violations of integrity rules, Parliament must consider consequential political steps, including a formal request to remove Minister Gerlien Croes from her position.
“If Parliament wants to act in accordance with the law and integrity, there is no other option than to act,” said the MEP faction leader, adding that transparency and public trust must be central to governance.
According to MEP, once the investigation results are clear, Parliament must evaluate the situation and determine if there is a basis for political action. The MEP faction maintains that ministerial transparency and accountability are fundamental principles in a state governed by the rule of law.
At the time of publication, Minister Gerlien Croes has not publicly responded to the recent MEP statement.