Defense Min. defends €93,000 private jet trip to visit Mediterranean fregat

Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz said it was “absolutely necessary” for her to travel to Cyprus last week to visit the frigate Zr. Ms. Evertsen, currently deployed in the Mediterranean due to the conflict in the Middle East. She made the remarks before the start of the Cabinet meeting.

The trip drew sharp criticism in the Tweede Kamer. Since the government aircraft was unavailable, she traveled by private jet, pushing the cost of the single-day visit to almost 93,000 euros. “There’s no EasyJet that can land on an aircraft carrier yet,” the frustrated minister commented.

Kati Piri (GroenLinks-PvdA) described it as “Likely the priciest Instagram clip ever by a Dutch politician, funded by taxpayers," and Henri Bontenbal (CDA) called it a “waste of money.”

The minister emphasized that the crew of the Evertsen had been abruptly reassigned this month from a training exercise in a safe zone to a mission in a hazardous area. “This is also about your freedom and safety,” she said. “It is essential that the responsible minister visits them in person and shows her recognition for their work.”

Yeşilgöz was accompanied by a delegation of nine, which included senior military officers and a cameraman to record the visit. The one-day trip cost a total of 92,997 euros, averaging about 10,333 euros per person.

The journey was made in stages: the delegation first flew to Cyprus and was then taken by helicopter to the frigate, which was operating in the eastern Mediterranean at the time.

The Evertsen, a frigate equipped for air defense and command, is presently sailing near Cyprus as part of a French fleet formation. The frigate’s main task is to safeguard Cyprus and regional allies from possible threats linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The trip occurred against the backdrop of prior debates in the Tweede Kamer concerning the Evertsen’s readiness, following recent inquiries about a faulty cannon on board.