The euro is worth less in Suriname because of the seizures made in the Netherlands

Justice in the Netherlands again confiscated euros in Suriname. This involves an amount of 4 million euros from customers of the Republic Bank in Paramaribo. In April, the Dutch customs confiscated an amount of more than 19 million euros.

The seizures relate to a judicial inquiry into money laundering transactions. The prosecutor wants to know the origin of the money. Many goods in Suriname are imported from the Netherlands and settled in euros.

Tourists from the Netherlands and neighboring French Guiana also bring in euros. The euro is also the common currency in the housing market.

Confiscations cause troubles in the Surinamese financial world. Due to the uncertain situation, commercial banks banned the euro. The exchange rate of the currency has now decreased by more than 10 percent. This is a disappointment for tourists, but also for Surinamese pensioners and people who receive family money in the Netherlands.

Political motive

According to the banks, transactions with the Netherlands have been going well for years. Surinamese politicians think that the Netherlands can have a political motive. "The Netherlands seems to want to disrupt the economy of Suriname," said parliamentarian Amzad Abdul

Abdul is a member of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance. The Finance Minister also reportedly refers to a meeting in camera of the Surinamese Parliament to a political conspiracy of the Netherlands

The director of a large exchange office who wants to keep anonymity do not think that there is a political scenario. "Significant seizures of cocaine from Suriname have recently been made around the world, which is why preventing international crime has become a priority for our country." It is not illogical that the judicial system Dutch focuses on Suriname. But the origin can be shown for almost all transactions. "

It is not known how long the Dutch public prosecutor's investigation will take.According to the businessmen, the situation is not so serious that there is stagnation of trade or scarcity. "The Central Bank has funds abroad, from which payments to Dutch suppliers are made now," says the director of the exchange office. "But when this situation will persist, the flow of goods from Europe will dry up. "

Chinese Traders

Meanwhile, there are also people who are spinning in the current situation." At the moment, the # The euro is worth only $ 1.06 in Suriname while you have more than $ 1.17 for the world, especially Chinese traders who buy euros in Suriname and take them to Guyana, France. Guyana, Curacao and China

"There, they are exchanged in the normal course," says the director of the exchange office: "Every 100,000 euros exchanged this way brings you more than $ 10,000. there are currently a number of very rich people because of the junk, and therefore cheap euro. "