Dutch Want Royal Family to Have Less Money

Eighty percent of the Dutch are of the opinion that the salary of members of the royal family should be frozen and that they should start to pay income tax. They are also of the opinion that the royals should pay estate duties. This results from a poll by Maurice de Hond. The actual state budget foresees in an increase of income for the Queen, the Crown Prince and his wife. In the parliamentary debate PVV leader Geert Wilders proposed that the royals’ salaries should be reduced. This was supported by several other parties including Labor, the Socialist Party and the Green Left Party.

www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2866451.ece/Driekwart_bevolking_wil_bezuiniging_koningshuis_.html

Police Commanders Threaten Authors of Critical Report

The previous commanders of the Gelderland Central police corps destroyed an external report about the dissatisfaction among the personnel of one of its districts. The authors were told by the corps commander that if they did not eliminate all negative items from the report he would see to it that they would never again get assignments from the Dutch Police. This information results from an investigation undertaken on behalf of the police trade union NPB. www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/4845532/__Politietop_vernietigt_kritisch_rapport__.html

Military Trade Union: Doubts about Afghanistan War

Wim van den Burg chairman of the Military Trade Union AFMP/FNV has said that there are signs of major fraud under the leadership of President Karzai in the recent parliamentary elections in Afghanistan and that International Law has been broken. He added that before prolonging the Dutch military presence in the country beyond 2010 one has to investigate whether one should support such a government and why the Netherlands is present there. Minister of Defense Eimert van Middelkoop reacted that this statement was unworthy of a serious trade union. He said that there was no reason to become hesitant now, as the Dutch Government has taken upon itself commitments toward NATO and the Afghan people.
www.nd.nl/artikelen/2009/september/14/vraagtekens-militaire-vakbond-bij-doel-missie

Culemborg: Sixty Policemen End Ethnic Fight

After almost one week of unrest in the Terweijde problem neighborhood in Culemborg, 60 policemen of the Mobile Police Unit intervened to end the fight between youngsters of respectively Moroccan and Moluccan origin. About hundred hooligans were involved in the disturbances. On several of the previous nights access to the neighborhood had to be closed by the municipality.

www.elsevier.nl/web/Nieuws/Nederland/245818/ME-grijpt-in-bij-rellen-achterstandswijk-Culemborg.htm?rss=true

Wilders: Obama Resembles Chamberlain

Geert Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party (PVV) has said that US President Barack Obama resembles former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. In Wilders opinion Obama "doesn't clearly view who the enemy is and thus appeases him. Instead he should have said: I defend my values and fight for them." He added that Obama and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende are people whose style is "Let's hold each other's hands and sing songs under the Christmas tree all year long. We can close our eyes to the huge problems Islamization brings with it." www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2861291.ece/Wilders_haalt_uit_naar_Obama_.html

Most Negative State Budget since Second World War

The government will present on Tuesday the most negative state budget which since the Second World War. Savings will have to cover the consequences of the past crisis year, which will lead to costs of tens of billions of Euro in future years. The Dutch economy will shrink this year with 4.75% while for next year zero growth is expected. Eight percent of the Dutch professional population is expected to be unemployed next year. A major investigation of all governmental costs will be undertaken. The budget should not be in the public domain before it is officially presented, however it was leaked this year again. www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2861118.ece/_Somberste_Miljoenennota_sinds_WO_II_.html

Major Ethnic Problems in the Town of Ede

Mayor Van der Knaap of the town of Ede says that the atmosphere in the city leads to polarization and radicalization. This is the result of a study by the IVA research bureau, associated with Tilburg University. The Moroccan community and the Protestant community in the suburbs see each other as enemies. Moroccans in the town received national publicity when some of them organized festivities after 9/11. This group has since been in the news for burning cars, vandalism and threatening bus drivers. Two years ago it became known that the local mosque has a controversial Salafist preacher. On the other side there is a group of extreme right-wing youngsters who are responsible for many incidents. There was an attempt of arson near the construction site of a new mosque and the head of a pig was deposited at the site.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2857223.ece/Marokkaanse_en_Reformatorische_bevolking_op_voet_van_oorlog.html