Ter Apel business owners receive compensation fund for nuisance caused by asylum seekers

Business owners in Ter Apel will probably be able to make use of a compensation fund for additional costs incurred as a result of the nuisance caused by asylum seekers at the beginning of next year. Mayor Jaap Velema of Westerwolde, to which Ter Apel belongs, announced this to the municipal council this week.

The fund is a result of numerous complaints from store owners in Ter Apel who wrote a letter of distress to the municipality and others last month, stating that they are "at their wits' end" and are losing sales because customers are staying away.

The fund is being set up by the Ministry of Justice and Security together with the municipality and the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). It is not yet clear exactly what damage will be compensated. "In the next two weeks, the conditions for the fund will be worked out by the ministry," said Velema. "It has been promised that State Secretary (Eric) Van der Burg will explain the action plan to the municipality and entrepreneurs in Ter Apel in the near future."

Next year, business owners will have the opportunity to submit applications at a digital counter. "It is definitely important that this counter is low-threshold for our residents and business owners. The ministry expects this counter to be operational in the first quarter of 2024," the mayor said.