Dutch Development Project in Guatemala Total Failure

A development project, heavily subsidized by the Dutch government in Guatemala has totally failed. In 2007, the Dutch government made available 9 million Euro for the improvement of the harbor in Champerico. The government of Guatemala paid the other 29 million Euro. The work was done by a Dutch company and supervised by a Dutch consultancy office. Nowadays, the harbor is full of sand and boats can longer leave from it. The poverty in the village has increased.
www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2668/Buitenland/article/detail/2927663/2011/09/26/Ontwikkelingsgeld-verspild-bij-haven-Guatemala.dhtml

Majority of Dutch: Parliamentary Debate on Budget Undignified

Seventy percent of the Dutch population found the parliamentary debate on the national budget “undignified.” Sixty-two percent considered that the remarks made by Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders to Prime Minister Mark Rutte (Liberals) saying, “Behave normally,” should not be allowed. Sixty-two percent considered that the Prime Minister’s reaction wasn’t adequate. In the same poll, it was found that 49% of the Dutch is against financial support for Greece, while 38% is in favor. Forty percent is in favor of the prohibition of minarets and 45% is against.

www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/7884/Prinsjesdag/article/detail/2926841/2011/09/25/61-procent-Nederlanders-vindt-uitspraak-Wilders-niet-kunnen.dhtml

Polish Media: Netherlands has become a Hostile Country for Poles

The Polish tabloid Fakt writes that an anti-Polish campaign has been unleashed in the Netherlands. The quality paper Gazeta Wyborcza had as a heading “Why don’t they want Poles in the Kingdom of Tulips?” The weekly Polityka writes: “Our nationals have become a favorite scapegoat for the xenophobes.” Polskie Radio said that not a day passes in the Netherlands without giving information about Polish immigrants - mostly in a negative context. Jan Minkiewicz, an external advisor of the Polish embassy in the Netherlands said, “The Polish government watches what happens in the Netherlands these days very closely.” This started at the end of last year when the Hague Alderman Marnix Norder warned of a “tsunami of Poles.”
www.depers.nl/binnenland/598565/Schrik-van-xenofoob-Nederland.html

President of Central Bank: Greek Bankruptcy One of our Scenarios

Klaas Knot, the new President of the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) said that the bankruptcy of Greece is one of the scenarios the bank works with. He wondered whether the Greeks see the seriousness of the situation. It is doubtful whether their authorities are competent enough and their politicians have enough control over the country. Knot is the first president of a European Central Bank to speak so clearly about a possible bankruptcy of Greece. Such statements are highly unusual for a central banker, the more so as Knot is also a member of the board of the European Central Bank.
www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4504/Economie/article/detail/2924884/2011/09/23/DNB-sluit-bankroet-Griekenland-niet-uit.dhtml

Attack with Anti-Tank Weapon on Amsterdam Courthouse

The attack on early Wednesday morning on the Amsterdam courthouse apparently was done with an anti-tank grenade. A large number of windows have been broken and the staircase of the court tower was damaged. Two people were seen leaving the scene after the attack. In 2007, the special security court elsewhere in Amsterdam was also attacked. The Minister of Security and Justice Ivo Opstelten (Liberals) said that the attack is “unacceptable and terrible.”

http://nos.nl/artikel/274562-aanslag-gerechtsgebouw-met-antitankwapen.html

National Budget is Leaked before Official Publication Date

According to plan, the national budget should have been made public last Friday. However, due to a mistake by a computer expert, it was leaked a day before. This led to much criticism of the government by politicians from both government and opposition parties. Minister of the Interior, Piet Hein Donner (Christian Democrat) regretted that this had happened, but said that when something goes wrong, one should not automatically blame the government. Deputy Minister Henk Bleker said that it was very annoying but “the world is not burning.”
www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/7924/Prinsjesdag/article/detail/2909881/2011/09/15/Reacties-op-uitlekken-nota-Knulligheid-ten-top.dhtml

Imam who Worked in Dutch Jail, Arrested in Madrid

Hasan B., is a 44 year old Islamist who has been working for a long time as an Imam in the Tilburg jail. He has been arrested in Madrid at the request of the Moroccan authorities which has asked for his extradition. In 1985 he was condemned to death in Morocco because of his involvement in the murders of political opponents. The Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice confirmed that he had indeed worked in the jail, but as long as he is investigated in Spain, the ministry is not willing to employ him anymore.

www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2668/Buitenland/article/detail/2905863/2011/09/14/Radicale-imam-Hasan-B-werkte-in-Tilburgse-gevangenis.dhtml