It's official: Wiebes new finance minister
Tuesday morning Amsterdam alderman Eric Wiebes of the VVD met with Prime Minister Rutte, and was officially appointed the new State Secretary of Finances by King Willem-Alexander. At 14:00 the State Secretary was sworn in by the King at the Noordeinde Palace. Wiebes will now be responsible for the problems in the tax department, that cost former State Secretary Frans Weekers his position.
In trying to prevent fraud, Weekers only allowed households and businesses to use one account for all financial relief arrangements, starting January this year. The tax department had to verify all information before payout. The new measure caused a major backlog, resulting in thousands of people receiving their payments too late. Wiebes is perceived as the most logical successor, with a formidable track record. The new State Secretary of Finance earned respect in Amsterdam when he managed to sort out the file on the North-South trajectory, according to NRC Handelsblad. Wiebes also held the position of acting Secretary General at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and he worked as a consultant for Mc Kinsey, a global management and consulting firm. Eric Wiebes is also responsible for writing the local VVD election-program, where he focused on education, security, and less government officials.
