LIMITED COMPENSATION FOR BUSINESS DAMAGE IS COMPLETELY INADEQUATE, SAYS PAULA BOUWER AT THE HEART OF THE NETHERLANDS.

Text: Paula Bouwer

Photo: Cees Wouda (near the Koppelpoort in Amersfoort)

Entrepreneurs have been severely duped. Have high debts, major problems running their business (s) and many are already bankrupt. In addition to parents, many entrepreneurs have been affected by the benefits affair. They were wrongly labeled as fraudsters, with business debts amounting to tons or millions and resulting in bankruptcies. It is estimated that more than 8,000 entrepreneurs have been affected. This group is often understudied, but the impact is structural and very long-term. It exposes a systemic disregard for entrepreneurship within recovery policy.

The limited compensation for business damage is completely inadequate

According to Paula, the recovery system had the starting point from the start that business damage is hardly or hardly reimbursed. At the Equal Recovery and MijnHerstel counters, only 3,000 euros have been reserved for business damage, which she calls a “shame”. This amount is disproportionate to the actual losses and leads to unjust outcomes for affected entrepreneurs.

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Paula's personal story - from successful entrepreneur to loss and constant never-ending grief

At the start of her business, which required an unprecedented investment from the start that had been saved for years, Paula had to deal with a Municipality of Amersfoort that found installing a public hospital more important than someone who wanted to start a beautiful restaurant and hotel with love. There has been a total disregard for the consequences of their actions, which they continue to face to this day.

Paula ran three restaurants and a bed and breakfast in Amersfoort. The placement of a pee cross on her terrace, where men peed on her terrace with three men at the same time until late in the morning, caused her a huge amount of inconvenience and loss of turnover. It led her to years of legal-administrative battle. She describes that the municipalities postponed the permits, amended them, and distorted the truth. The city council has been deliberately misinformed for years. Only after nine years, further investigation, a so-called administrative loop at the Council of State, showed that the documents were backdated. Courts were also lied to in documents. The Council of State requested the documents and found that the municipality had to pay damage for this. A judicial expert would have looked at the scene, which was also considered by the Council of State to have proven that this was incorrect information.

The permit for Paula's company has still been amended, her hours were limited, and at events, the municipality ruled that it was not allowed to open its terrace. This period coincided with her suspicion of fraud at the tax authorities, which only exacerbated the problems. She was dealt with harshly by the entire government, both professionally and privately, so she finally quit in 2022, after having previously lost two branches.

Unjustified fraud accusations and potentially discriminatory factors

Paula states that as a woman, as a hospitality entrepreneur, she was discriminated against as a “foreigner”. She has a Dutch, British and Canadian passport, and the son of a father from Curacao. In addition, Paula found an email in her file from the Municipality of Amersfoort where the market master addresses all nine department heads and asks them to make her life miserable. What was also indicated by ear, in every way imaginable.

Recognition in 2021, but the damage is permanent

In 2021, Paula was recognized as a victim of the benefits affair. She spent the 30,000 euros she received on repaying debts so that she could reduce her monthly payments. She also lost her three businesses, assets, bank account and pension. She says the hardest loss is the relationship with her children. The financial and emotional damage is profound and has not been repaired by the one-off compensation, which is not compensation but a refund of her own money.

Long-term psychological impact

Paula has been taking trauma therapy for five years now and describes the aftermath as constant grief. She insists that people will never fully recover from this, underlining the lasting psychological consequences of institutional injustice.

Interview with two state secretaries for structural and real compensation and recognition

Paula and other victims have an appointment in The Hague to plead for actual recognition and compensation for entrepreneurs, even if the damage is extensive. There is a need to change the policy. The current policy is seriously inadequate and a solution is urgently needed. The crisis among entrepreneurs is huge. It requires structural solutions, together with Stichting Herstel Onbekend Inrecht and the delegation of the core team of entrepreneurs.

On May 7, 2026, the meeting will take place at the Ministry of Finance in The Hague. Present on the part of the Foundation for the Recovery of Unprecedented Injustice: Alex de Wilde, Gulsah Akpinar, Joost Allein Richir and Paula Bouwer, who are selflessly committed. On the part of the Ministry of Finance, there are: Sandra Palmen (Allowances), Eelco Eerenberg (Tax Administration), Teus Jan Vlot (Director of Political Administrative Affairs) Aran Staver (Recovery Allowances Coordinator), Gerben van Veen (Ministry of Finance, Parliamentary Affairs), the advocate and Jaklien de Jong (head of DG Recovery)