Interpreters working for courts, police and prosecutors hold public protests in various regions and organize strikes.
The main reason for the indignation of sworn translators was the fact that the rates at which they are paid did not change in the 1980s. Therefore, taking into account inflation, their earnings have depreciated. In order to receive a satisfactory income, sworn translators in the Netherlands have to take orders in other regions in order to earn at least on business travel.
In addition, both sworn translators and legal professionals are outraged by situations in which the authorities, for reasons of economy, attract non-certified translators to official events, whose services are cheaper. According to media reports in the Netherlands, due to the unprofessionalism of such dumping "specialists", the meaning of the translation is often distorted to the completely opposite. There are even false confessions of crimes.
Despite active protests from sworn translators, the Dutch authorities do not want to meet them halfway. Most of the members of the House of Representatives believe that it is inappropriate to increase the fees for sworn translators. It is not yet clear whether translators working in courts and law enforcement agencies will be able to convince the deputies.
