The government must make it harder free of marriage. The provision is so popular that many municipalities already conduct a discouragement. But this is the right faith of poor people in a fix for whom the provision was intended, says the Dutch Association for Civil Affairs (NVBB). The association advocates an income test.
Free weddings are already ten years in the elevator, but the last five years has been a meteoric rise, finds the umbrella association of the municipal Civil Affairs departments. ,, Of all marriages in the Netherlands is now 50 to 60 percent closed on free ceremony. While the vast majority of all the sets is not poor. The money they save on wedding fees they pay to an expensive dinner or party, "noted chairman Simon Rijsdijk.
Waiting lists
The ever increasing popularity of the free marriage means according to him, a huge increase in costs for the municipalities. Which bend over backwards to make the facility less attractive. ,, This leads to huge waiting lists of up to one year. Those waiting lists were created by municipalities, the number of ways in recent years free to marry again brought to the legal minium of two a week. This is to deter people who can afford it but are less well also bear the brunt of it. While free marriage was introduced them, "Rijsdijk said.
Income test
The NVBB calls for the introduction of a statutory income test. Municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants should look at least once a week or people are eligible for a free wedding. Municipalities with more people at least twice a week. Rijsdijk: ,, Some municipalities are applying a means test but that is no legal basis at odds with the fundamental right to marry. Such key brings a lot of extra work, and in addition also costs money. Therefore, it would be even better if less well-off special assistance requests for the payment of the marriage fee. "
100 euros marriage
A free wedding municipalities easily cost 400 euros. In order to earn back the cost nations, they often increase according to the NVBB President the fee for the paid wedding ceremonies. Therefore choose even more people for the free version with even longer waiting lists as a result. ,, Some municipalities, including Den Bosch introduced the 100 euro-marriage between form to somewhat reduce the waiting lists. Marriage is not free, but also does not cost too much again. "
Among the municipalities with long waiting lists for free marriage Veenendaal. A spokeswoman for the Customer Contact Center (CCC) speak of a 'hype' that no end seems to come. ,, In an attempt to dampen the interest, the municipality moved the free wedding Monday 10am - for many people an ideal time - to Tuesday and Wednesday 9am.Nevertheless, we are fully booked until end of January. "
Profiteers
Among the candidates are in her young couples who just bought a house and select by financial commitments for the free wedding but "freeloaders." ,, We are often set against the money they would otherwise have been lost to marriage fees - more than 400 or 600 euros depending on day and time - rather stabbing at a party. We also regularly have people of other nationalities free for the law to marry us and then casually for 15,000 euros to organize a knees. "
This advantage is reflected in its view, the free ceremony itself. ,, However, ten minutes in a small room or at the desk but then there are suddenly 50 men who quietly for an hour to take the time. Nowadays there are strict controls on the ceremony take up to ten minutes and there may be present up to ten people. "
Reverse treatment
To accommodate the less fortunate, the Deventer municipality launched a free wedding in which couples are treated as if they paid for the ceremony. ,, Instead of a simple ceremony without speeches, for conversation or a faithful servant for a day, they get that do. Provided that the set can provide proof that they are less draakrachtig as remission of municipal taxes, "says spokesman Martin Jan Stuurman.
A sympathetic solution, says the Dutch Association of Civil Affairs. ,, The thus effectively municipality Deventer has a means test, "said Chairman Simon Rijsdijk.
Fifth attempt
The NVBB played cards the introduction of a means test for free marriages according to him in vain at successive justice ministers twice. Rijsdijks predecessors wrote in 2014 and 2012 fire letters to the Ministers of the Interior. Ringing the alarm bell today, the fifth attempt to curb the phenomenon.
By Editors AD: Photo: ANP XTRA
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