The municipality of Tubbergen improperly handled complaints from residents about the arrival of the asylum seekers center (AZC) in Albergen. Residents were not listened to, and the municipality did not process the complaints quickly enough. This is the conclusion of the National Ombudsman in a report published today. Ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen warns that tensions around new asylum seekers centers are increasing nationwide and calls on both municipalities and residents to take responsibility. Treating each other honestly and decently requires effort from both sides.

Unrest after designation by the government

In August 2022, the government for the first time designated a location for an asylum seekers center (AZC). The choice of an old hotel in Albergen led to great unrest. Due to the involvement of multiple authorities, residents lost oversight, which further fueled dissatisfaction. The situation escalated into protests, arson, and threats against the mayor.

Complaint handling fell short

Residents subsequently filed complaints about the municipalitys actions and communication. Due to capacity issues, the handling was outsourced to a law firm. The municipality was also represented by another law firm during the complaint procedure, and municipal officials were not present at the hearing. As a result, residents sometimes faced four lawyers without anyone from the municipality to speak to. They felt unheard and sometimes even intimidated, leading some to forgo a hearing.

Reinier van Zutphen: I understand that the municipality was in a difficult situation. But due to the choices made, the municipality was barely visible during the complaint handling. Strictly following procedures is not enough. The municipality should have paid more attention to the emotions and impact on the involved residents. Due to the chosen approach, they felt unseen.

Conversation with the mayor

Despite the municipalitys efforts, tensions in Albergen remain high and trust between residents and government remains fragile. This makes it difficult to find solutions together.
Van Zutphen emphasizes that both parties must invest in restoring trust. He will discuss this with the mayor next month.

Hardening across the country

The ombudsman sees increasing complaints nationwide about the arrival of new AZCs. The conversation stalls, the debate hardens, and sometimes unrest turns into threats. According to Van Zutphen, it is not about right or wrong. As a society, we must accommodate people who need protection in our country. This requires effort from both sides, both municipality and resident.

Importance of the distribution law

Last year, the ombudsman called on the Senate to vote for the distribution law. According to Van Zutphen, the situation in Albergen shows the necessity of the law, which is intended to distribute asylum seekers evenly across municipalities. As long as some municipalities provide disproportionate amounts of shelter, differences and thus social unrest will persist. The law provides room to realize stable and sustainable reception locations, which benefits peace. 

That the forming parties now indicate they want to keep the law, the ombudsman finds positive, but his concerns remain. It is not only about what is in the law, but how the law is implemented in practice. For that, municipalities need help and clarity from the government, not wavering policy. Only then can they, together with their residents, shape the reception.

Honest with the citizen

Van Zutphen warns that participation is often used to gain support for plans that are actually already decided. Being honest with the citizen means indicating where residents have no influence and where they can think along, for example about the design of the reception. To give residents clarity and encourage governments to carefully shape participation, the ombudsman will present an Ombudsman vision on participation next year.