Enschede city council unanimously wants solutions to the Ardesch case: 'I did not expect this'

The Ardesch case has occupied the minds of Enschede politics for years. At the beginning of this month, the panels began to shift; on Monday, the city council unanimously passed a motion to end this lingering issue. Entrepreneurial whistle-blower Gertjan Ardesch, D66 councilor Gertjan Tillema and journalist Ernst Bergboer look back and forward.

ERNST BERGBOER

JULY 3, 2024 11:06 PM

D66 member Gertjan Tillema took the initiative for the motion, which was supported by the entire Enschede council on Monday evening. The responsible alderman, VVD member Jeroen Diepemaat, did not resist either. That doesn't often happen in issues that drag on for so long and are so sensitive. In addition, the text of that council order does not lie.

Council and alderman join

The alderman and council, in particular, agreed with that council order. There were caveats to a number of findings and considerations that led to it, but they did not prevent an agreement on the motion. The bottom line is that the college, in cooperation with the council, must put the municipal archiving in order, that Ardesch must be compensated and that there must be an answer to the question why this case was not solved much earlier.

“You lose everything, but the government doesn't realize that”

GERTJAN ARDESCH ABOUT HIS SEVEN-YEAR FIGHT FOR LAW AGAINST THE MUNICIPALITY OF ENSCHEDE

The unanimous adoption of the motion in this case surprised both Tillema and Ardesch. “I didn't expect this,” both say. Ardesch not because, in the seven years that the issue has arisen, he has seen hope for a solution go up in smoke time and time again. Tillema not because a number of parties in the city council had difficulty with parts of the motion.

Not unanimity on everything

This difficulty lies in the findings that the municipality has made a lot of mistakes in this matter and has repeatedly misinformed the city council on several points. But also the assignment to come to a financial solution with Ardesch. This then involves an outside expert. The starting point for determining that compensation, according to the motion, is that the municipality has wrongly filed legal proceedings against Ardesch. That was one of the points that went too far as alderman Diepemaat is concerned. But determining what is reasonable in such a financial settlement depends on whether such a process of law was right or wrong.

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Former entrepreneur Gertjan Ardesch came into conflict with the municipality of Enschede after he became a whistleblower in a false real estate transaction

IMAGE: 1TWENTE | ERNST BERGBOER

There are still some obstacles to overcome in implementing this motion, so. “The gas can't come off yet,” says Tillema, “but I'm in a positive mood.” Ardesch is especially tired. “I carried with me for seven years of excitement. Monday was a relief and that's coming out now.” Those seven years have been thin. “Most people drop out after two years. You lose hope and give up.” He didn't do that, but paid a high price. “You lose everything. But the government doesn't realize that.” Diepemaat did not want to get bothered about the parts of the motion that he sees differently. “We're not going to get any further with that,” he said on Monday evening. He also wants a solution and “learn from this case”. In addition, he did agree with the three assignments to the college in the final paragraph of the motion.

Self-reflection and a mild political response

It is therefore that the political response to the issue has been mild. Despite the substantial findings and considerations in the motion: a lawsuit was wrongly filed, the city council received incorrect answers to too many questions, it is unacceptable that it should take years before the college realizes that the council has been misinformed and the National Ombudsman has been misled (and that is a “serious mistake”).

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Unanimously passed motion: the file on the Ardesch case may be almost closed, but there are still three steps to be taken

“But this alderman has been vulnerable and self-reflective,” says Tillema. “That's exactly what you want from a director.” And then you shouldn't wave motions of disapproval or distrust, says the D66 member. This also included PVV leader Hidde Heutink on Monday evening, one of the city council members co-filed the motion and is usually anything but reticent when it comes to criticizing the city council. And when it comes to further implementing the motion: the first step has now been taken. Councillor Diepemaat has invited Ardesch for an initial meeting to draw a line under the past.

Ardesch Dossier

Want to know more? Then take a look in the file on the website from 1Twente. There you will find, among other things, two documentaries about the Ardesch case.