Legal system financial problems mount, outside investigators brought in
The Dutch legal system is in worse financial shape than earlier thought, and the problems are set to worsen in the coming years, the NRC said on Tuesday.
The budget shortfall facing the courts is now €40m rather than €28m and external experts have been brought in to try to solve the growing financial problems, the NRC said.
The paper bases its claim on internal documents compiled by the Council for the Judiciary and the situation has been confirmed to website Nu.nl by a spokesman.
The council has pushed forward a string of court mergers in recent years in an effort to save money. The legal system has an annual budget of €900m.
Justice minister Sander Dekker is not prepared to put more money into the system, even thought he government is required by law to make up the shortfall, the NRC said.
‘The minister said we have to bring in outsiders to conduct an investigation,’ a spokeswoman told the paper. That project is due to be completed in January.
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