Rotterdam Dismisses Two Civil Servants In Museum Bribery Probe

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Two Rotterdam civil servants have been dismissed for allegedly accepting bribes related to inflated construction contracts, including work at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. The city's executive board made the decision after new information emerged from a public prosecutor's investigation.

Rotterdam mayor Carola Schouten informed the city council last month that an internal investigation concluded after reports surfaced of civil servants approving contracts for millions more than their actual cost. Of three employees initially accused, one retired, and two were suspended before being summarily dismissed.

Schouten stated that the two unnamed individuals violated the code of conduct by“accepting gifts from the municipality's business contacts in exchange for possible preferential treatment.” They are also suspected of forgery and“passive bribery” of other officials.

In 2023, the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad first reported concerns about potential corruption in Rotterdam cultural institution building projects, specifically mentioning asbestos treatment at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. The publication claimed formal suspicions had first appeared three years prior to its report.

Following the report's publication, the Rotterdam city council requested a police investigation in 2024, according to Schouten. A criminal investigation is currently underway.

While one employee took early retirement, the city's executive board indicated that new details provided by the public prosecutor in July suggested the two dismissed individuals had behaved“substantially worse” than the city's internal probe had initially found.

Diederik van Dommelen, Rotterdam's head of financial affairs, told The Art Newspaper that the situation is now a matter for criminal investigation. He added,“Because there is an ongoing investigation by the public prosecution service, we are limited in what we can say, but we will make as much information as we can public and share it with the elected council.” The dismissed employees can challenge their termination via an employment tribunal.

A spokesperson for the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen confirmed to The Art Newspaper that it would not comment publicly on the matter, as its four buildings and their renovations are managed by the municipality. The museum closed in 2019 for major renovations and in 2021 opened its depot, showcasing 154,000 artworks from its Western art collection and hosting temporary exhibitions. Founded in 1849, the museum is expected to reopen in 2029, free of asbestos.

Source: The Art Newspaper

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