The daily board of the House of Representatives will meet on Thursday to discuss whether Vera Bergkamp’s role in leaking official secrets should be investigated further. Only the House of Representatives can decide on this matter.

The investigation stems from a leak related to allegations of transgressive behavior against Khadija Arib, the former Speaker of the House. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) is not authorized to investigate Bergkamp’s role because she was a politician at the time of the leak, although Justice has questions about her involvement.

The leak investigation has focused on Bergkamp’s former spokesperson, Sonja K., and the former director of housing for the House of Representatives, Jaap van R., both of whom are considered suspects. Telephone records show frequent contact between Bergkamp, Van R., and K. around the time the information was leaked to NRC.

Bergkamp has reportedly been unable to adequately explain calls made to Van R. shortly before and after the news broke. She also couldn’t clarify communications with her spokesperson, K., on the evening of the leak. According to court data, Bergkamp had telephone contact with K. up to five times shortly before the news leaked.

K. initially claimed she had to leave work to attend to her sick daughter but has since admitted she went to Amsterdam near the NRC building. Furthermore, Bergkamp deleted emails to K., including a forwarded confidential opinion from the government lawyer, raising further questions. She also deleted the apps between her and K. and Van R.

Van R. is not only one of the top civil servants who pushed for the investigation into Arib in 2022, but also appears to be one of the authors of a decisive letter.

Arib has claimed a conspiracy by the administrative top and Bergkamp was intended to damage her.

K. will hear from the court on Thursday whether she is guilty of leaking secret information, and the House of Representatives will decide whether to investigate Bergkamp’s role further.