While many musicians are plagued by corona with their agendas being wiped out again and again, the Argentine tango singer and guitarist Omar Mollo (71) who has lived in Amsterdam for five years received even worse news in October: his request for financial corona assistance was rejected by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Naturalization Service (IND) with the message that his residence permit will be revoked, even if he also has Spanish nationality. He and his Argentine wife are only allowed to stay if they do not apply for financial assistance.
How are you?
“This pandemic is not a good time. But occasionally I still gave concerts. In the Netherlands, but also in Russia, Austria and Estonia. I even recorded a CD last year. At one point our savings ran out. On the advice of our accountant and bank, I asked for financial help from the government for the first time in my life. We then received a letter from the IND that our residence permit will be revoked.”
‘There has been no evidence of a large degree of integration in Dutch society’, the IND wrote. And: ‘It is in the interest of the Dutch government that foreign nationals are not a burden to the economic well-being of the country. You must leave the Netherlands within four weeks.’
“We were shocked. As Argentinians we are so happy in the Netherlands. We have been coming here regularly since 2004 and we have been living there for five years.”
What’s going well, what’s not?
“I appreciate that the freedom of everyone is respected in the Netherlands. Here you are valued for who you are and not for what you own. We have fantastic Dutch friends who help us now too. We feel very integrated. Here you have rights and obligations, in Argentina only obligations. Now our human rights are being violated. It is reminiscent of the time of the junta in Argentina in 1976. We only wanted assistance for a few months to get through this unprecedented crisis. I am not a delinquent.”
What is your biggest concern?
“We have appealed the eviction. And friends organized a benefit concert. On Sunday afternoon I play together with musicians in Bussum. The concert can be followed via a live stream and tickets are available through a donation. The counter is already at about seven thousand euros. Our lawyer Sofie de Schutter estimates that with 10,000 euros we can convince the IND that we will not appeal to public funds and then be allowed to stay.”
How will 2022 be a better year than 2021?
“If we stay, I hope to be appointed as a teacher at Codarts, the Conservatory of Rotterdam. I have plenty of plans. My music is my life.”
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