Netherlands’ cost if stolen Romanian artifacts remain missing

The theft of four Romanian gold treasures from the Drents Museum two weeks ago could cost the Dutch state 5.8 million euros if the artifacts are not recovered, according to RTV Drenthe. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science confirmed the information.

The Drents Museum in Assen has insured the Golden Helmet and the three bracelets on loan from Romania for 5.8 million euros. The entire collection of 673 objects is insured for over 30 million euros.

The Dutch government has guaranteed just over 9 million euros of this amount. This means that in the event of theft, loss or damage, the government is partially responsible and must pay for the damages. Only if the value of the damage is higher than that guaranteed by the government will the museum’s insurance come into play. If the Romanian treasures are recovered damaged, the government will also pay compensation for that.

The government’s share of the cost of damage or theft means that museums have to pay less for insurance, which allows them to organize exhibitions at more affordable prices.

In the case of the Drents Museum, it saved between 25 and 30 percent on premiums for this exhibition, according to broadcaster RTV Drenthe.

“This makes it possible for museums to present these kinds of beautiful objects and exhibitions to the public. Otherwise, it is inaccessible for museums,” Minister of Education, Culture and Science Eppo Bruins told the broadcaster.

According to RTV Drenthe, this will be the first time that the government has had to pay such large damages since it began assuming such risks in 1989. So far, the Netherlands has paid a total of 8,000 euros in damages for works of art. Last year, the government guaranteed almost 469 million euros for works of art loaned to 13 museums.

The three suspects arrested in the theft of gold objects from the Dacian treasure on display at the Drents Museum in Assen will remain behind bars after the investigating judge extended their pre-trial detention for another 14 days last Friday.

The arrested persons are two men and a woman from Heerhugowaard. Dutch police have published photographs of two of the suspects arrested in the case of the robbery of the Dacian treasure from the Assen Museum in Drents.

Investigators have appealed to citizens who saw them after the robbery to provide information about the two in order to track down the stolen artifacts. On January 24, an explosive device was used to open a door at the Drents Museum.

It was “a powerful, unprecedented explosion,” the prosecutor’s office said. The criminals left with important gold pieces from the exhibition “Dacia – the kingdom of gold and silver and gold”, such as the golden helmet from Coţofeneşti and three gold bracelets.

The value of the heritage, unknown

The report of the Prime Minister’s Control Body revealed a series of serious problems in the management and security of national heritage assets. The Dacian bracelets and the helmet from Coțofenești had not been evaluated in recent years, although the law requires this. In the absence of evaluations, the state does not know the correct value of the heritage.

According to the report, the Dacian bracelets had not been evaluated for more than 12 years, and the helmet for over 14 years, although the History Museum was obliged to carry out these checks every 10 years, precisely to establish the correct value of these objects.

Moreover, the collaboration contract between the History Museum and the Drents Museum allegedly lacked the opinion of the board of directors, which is mandatory in this case.

According to the data obtained so far, the Museum in the Netherlands reported that there was no 24/7 human security, but the History Museum in the country did not request, in response, that this measure be introduced for the additional protection of the artifacts.

In this context, the conclusions were sent to the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice to decide what measures should be taken further. At the same time, the Minister of Culture Natalia Intotero reported that in the coming days she will come up with a new proposal for the interim management of the History Museum of Romania.