The judgment of the judge on the maximum number of single young asylum seekers in Ter Apel cannot be followed. The court in The Hague ruled on Monday that the state will not be granted a reprieve to improve the living conditions of asylum seekers. One of the elements of the ruling was that from tomorrow only a maximum of 55 UMAs can be accommodated in Ter Apel. Many more now live, often in substandard conditions.

In a debate in the House of Representatives, Attorney General Van der Burg said he would do his utmost to reduce the number of unaccompanied minor aliens in Ter Apel as quickly as possible. “Because there is a verdict of the judge.” But he added that the day after tomorrow there will be more than 55 unaccompanied minors in Ter Apel. “And that’s not the judge’s verdict,” said Van der Burg.

Preferably in small locations

The Secretary of State stressed that he wanted to enable unaccompanied minors to move from ter Apel to other places as much as possible, but he did not have enough at the moment. He is primarily looking for small locations that accommodate four to five young people.

Van der Burg said he disagreed with the court’s decision on all counts and that an appeal was also due early next month. He would have preferred to see an earlier decision suspended. “But I didn’t get that suspensive effect. Then the judge’s decision will apply, and then you must do everything in your power to implement that decision.”