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Wednesday, 27 May 2015 - 08:29
Royal Palace renovation to hit €60m, far more than PM Rutte said
The renovation of the royal palace Huis ten Bosch is becoming much more expensive than was announced last year. The renovation was estimated to cost 35 million euros, but the actual amount now appears to have run up to about 60 million euros, RTL Nieuws reports based on sources close to the cabinet.
Last year the Tweede Kamer, lower house of parliament, already thought that 35 million euros was too much for the renovation. But Prime Minister Mark Rutte managed to persuade the parliamentarians and gain permission for the renovation.
Rutte reported last year that the 35 million euros would cover all costs. According to RLT, the price skyrocketed to almost 60 million euros because the Cabinet also wants to address other parts of the palace. The Tweede Kamer doesn't know about the increased cost yet. Minister Stef Blok of Housing would not comment on the matter because a formal decision has not been made yet.
The palace deteriorated significantly during Queen Beatrix's reign.