[ad_1]
Despite concerns that it could leak state secrets, The Hague City Council has given Prime Minister Dick Schauf’s team of civil servants a month to clear their desks and prepare for a complete refurbishment of the parliament building.
Mayor Jan van Zanen rejected a request from Housing and Public Space Minister Mona Keijzer to extend the deadline for the relocation of the prime minister’s office until next spring, citing fire safety concerns.
Schuff is about to leave the Prime Minister’s Office, that is turret or small tower, will be relocated with a core group of officials before the end of the month.
Last month, Van Zaanen rejected a request to delay the move due to digital safety concerns. The mayor acknowledged the risks but said “the personal safety of residents in and around the Inner Court complex always comes first.”
Keizer argued that another 70 civil servants from Schüff’s department, the General Affairs Department (Algemene Zaken), Should be allowed to stay for another six months Meanwhile their computers were moved to a safe place.
But van Zaanen refused to extend the deadline beyond September 18 because the site no longer complies with fire safety regulations. If the officials overstay, it will trigger a conditional fine of 100,000 euros per week until they move out.
“We’ve reached our limit.” Fan Zanin said on Monday“Once the inner court (parliament building) is completely emptied, there will be no time for further delay. A fire in the center of The Hague is unacceptable and unthinkable.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing said it would study the consequences of the mayor’s decision.
Other parliamentary and government offices in the chambers, including the debating chamber, were relocated to other locations before renovation work began, which ran over schedule and budget.
Former Housing Minister Hugo de Jonge said in April that the project was expected to cost 2 billion euros, four times the initial estimate, and would be completed in 2028, two years later than planned.
Costs were inflated by the need for additional safety measures and higher maintenance costs. Both Senate and House office buildings were in a worse state of repair than initially thought, and the amount of asbestos that needed to be removed increased.
[ad_2]
Source link
