Minister of Interior: Police Salary Supplements Problematic

Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) has officially declared that she is “unpleasantly surprised” about the supplementary payments to the heads of the Dutch police. It was recently published that the top commanders of the police sometimes receive very high supplements for housing and for on call 24 hours a day. She has now starting discussions with the police supervisors on this matter.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5449121/__Ter_Horst_niet_blij_met_nota_s__.html

Labor Parliamentarian: We Should be Pessimistic about our Party

Labor Parliamentarian Paul Tang has sketched a highly negative picture of his party on the website of the left wing think tank Waterland. He wrote that the party has been turned into an amalgamation of women, non-Western immigrants and university educated people. He added that it is not difficult to be pessimistic about the future of the party. Earlier his colleague Diederik Samsom called the situation of the party deplorable, in an e-mail which later became public.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5428482/___Pessimisme_over_toekomst_PvdA___.html?p=2,1

Liberals: Minister of Environment has Double Standards

Parliamentarian Helma Neppérus (VVD) says that Minister of Environment Cramer (Labor) has double standards. In the past she allowed her name to be included in an advertisement which supported somebody who had stolen documents about nuclear energy plants. Now she has condemned as criminals people who hacked information on manipulations of data on global warming.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5416882/___Cramer_meet_met_twee_maten___.html

More Than a Thousand People Living in Polygamy

In the Netherlands there are at least 1,374 men or women who are married to more than one partner. This was announced by Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin (Christian Democrats) in answer to questions by parliamentarian Paul de Krom (Liberals). Polygamy is forbidden in the Netherlands, but polygamous marriages performed abroad are recognized.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1317921.ece/Nederland_telt_1374_polygame_huwelijken

Most Dangerous Psychopaths Can Order Prostitutes

The Pompe Foundation which deals with the most dangerous psychopaths, usually murderers who are condemned to remain in psychiatric wards for their whole life, provides them with prostitutes. This is not allowed by the ministry of justice. A new documentary movie “Longstay” deals with this issue, as well as those of psychopaths involved in drug abuse and watching porno films.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5372265/__Tbs-kliniek_regelt_seks_op_bestelling__.html?p=1,1

Amsterdam Wants to Create Panel of Prostitute Clients

Job Cohen, the mayor of Amsterdam, says that clients of prostitutes are so far an unorganized group. Therefore an independent research bureau has been charged by the municipality to create a panel. These people should inform the municipality about women or minors who have been forced into prostitution. If the initiative is successful the municipality will also establish panels of prostitutes and residents of prostitute neighborhoods.

www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5378822/__Petitie_agenten__schijnveiligheid___.html

Police Petition: No Security in the Netherlands

The Committee of Concerned Policemen will present a petition to Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) asking to guarantee the safety of the Dutch population. The petition states that “we think that citizens have the right to be informed that the safety they think they enjoy is now only an illusion.” The policemen say that the possibility of guaranteeing an acceptable level of safety is decreasing continuously. They asked the minister to stop the cost reduction program.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1319018.ece/Amsterdam_richt_panel_van_hoerenlopers_op

Dutch Website Offers Guidance for Suicide

The Dutch Organization for a Voluntary End of Life (NVVE) has launched a new website which shows how one can end his life by using certain medications. According to the organization this is one of the first sites worldwide which offers a number of methods to kill oneself. Assisting in suicide is punishable in the Netherlands. However, the organization says that the website only provides information. Anyone over the age of 16 can, with a small payment, access the site.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1315137.ece/Website_biedt_tips_voor_zelfdoding

Utrecht: Half of Major Young Criminals are Moroccans

On behalf of the public prosecution department of the Ministry of Justice, two scholars Ido Weijers and Marjolein Kampijon have undertaken a study of major young criminals in Utrecht. They found that more than 75% of such criminals are involved in violent crimes including physical attacks, threats and insults and vandalism. About 27% of them are of Dutch origin and approximately half are of Moroccan origin.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5324131/__Autochtoon_ernstigste_veelpleger__.html

Quarter of Employees Consider Workplace Unhygienic

More than 27% of employees think that the place where they work is unhygienic. One reason is that in times of economic problems, employers cut back on cleaning costs. The problems are greatest in the field of education where more than 45% of the employees consider their place of employment not to be clean.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5341578/_Personeel_vindt_werkplek_vies_.ht...

Royal Palace Has Poor Security

The national coordinator for the fight against terrorism has admitted that security of the Noordeinde Royal Palace in The Hague is insufficient. More security measures will be taken. This was announced after journalist Alberto Stegeman showed on television how he and a colleague entered the palace with imitation dynamite with no problems. The investigation by the military police thereafter was poorly executed. The faction leaders of four parties in Parliament have demanded clarifications from the two ministers in charge.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2915769.ece/Procedures_beveiliging_Noordeinde_onderzocht.html

Arson at Mosque

A Molotov cocktail was thrown into the Al Quibla mosque in Zoetermeer. Firemen managed to contain the fire and the damage. Half a year ago a similar kind of attack occurred at the same mosque. The perpetrators have not been found. Police will increase surveillance of the building.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2915098.ece/Brandstichting_moskee_Zoetermeer.html

Forty Percent of Neighborhood Policemen May Leave Force

Nine out of ten neighborhood policemen say that they don’t have enough time to be in their neighborhoods due to other responsibilities. Four out of ten doubt whether they will want to remain with the force, or are already sure that they will leave. This was the result of a study by the Socialist Party among 10,000 policemen. Four out of five policemen think they are judged only by how many tickets they write. Almost 75% think that people do not appreciate the work of the police.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5310353/___Wijkagent_te_weinig_in_buurt___.html?p=3,1

Major Losses Cause Cancellation of Maastricht Campus Building

Servatius, a construction company, has canceled the construction of the prestigious new student campus near Maastricht University. Losses are already 60 million Euro and expected to rise. The project had been designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1315016.ece/Bouw_campus_Maastricht_definitief_gestaakt

Dutch Soldiers in Afghanistan Want Rehabilitation

In 2008 a group of Dutch soldiers serving in Afghanistan refused an assignment they considered having undue risks without adequate preparation. The officers complained to the military police and the soldiers were punished for not obeying orders. Two sergeants are now requesting rehabilitation. One of them said that the captain in charge at the time had shouted: “My grandmother is German, I’m a Prussian leader. For me an order is an order. (he used the German expression “Befehl ist Befehl”) I don’t give a damn who of you is killed.” The sergeant has now told the Telegraaf paper that the captain was a weirdo who saw his soldiers as “cannon fodder.”

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5265203/__Militairen_Uruzgan_willen_eerherstel__.html

Disaster Simulation Goes Out of Control

A major simulation of a mass disaster in the Euroborg stadium in Groningen got out of control and had to be stopped. Fifteen hundred people participated in the exercise in which recovery services trained them on how to handle great numbers of people during a disaster. When the group of people who had been assigned to be hooligans started throwing stones, the exercise had to be disrupted.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5292847/__Rampoefening_loopt_uit_de_hand__.html

Trade Union Leaders: Labor Party is Losing Right of Existence

Twenty-eight leaders of the FNV Bondgenoten trade union, who are also members of the Labor Party, have called on the party’s parliamentarians to fight against raising the retirement age from 65 to 67. They warned that the party is alienating its natural supporters.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1314609.ece/FNV-leden_PvdA_verliest_bestaansrecht

Wilders: Do Not Threaten Singer

The singer Herman van Veen said on television that the Freedom Party, headed by Geert Wilders, should not become like the NSB which collaborated with the Nazis. This has led to many threats against him. Wilders declared that nobody should threaten Van Veen and condemned such actions.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1314306.ece/Wilders_bedreiging_Van_Veen_is_kwalijk

Much Damage due to Poor Roads

The poor state of Dutch roads last year has led to a doubling of car damage. This was found by the Center for Insurance Statistics. A study by Autotaalglas shows that one out of six cars has suffered damage to their windows by stone chippings on the roads.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5270729/__Slechte_wegen_slopen_autos__.html?p=28,1

Sneek: Wave of Nazi Symbols

The town of Sneek has been suffering from a wave racist graffiti. According to the police, in many places swastika and other SS symbols have been found on buildings – for instance, the municipality building, the church and a sports club building.
http://sneek.nieuws.nl/1747631

Socialist Party: There will be less Policemen on the Streets

A study by the extreme left Socialist Party has found that cost cutting in the police force will lead to less security. There will be fewer policemen patrolling the streets, the number of patrols will be reduced and police stations will be closed, and the police will receive less support and equipment. Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) says that the number of policemen will not be reduced.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2904945.ece/_Wel_minder_blauw_op_straat_door_bezuinigingen_.html

Liberal Party: Need to Subsidize Securing Jewish Institutions

Paul Slettenhaar, head of the Liberal Party (VVD) in the upcoming neighborhood council elections in southern Amsterdam, has said that Jewish institutions must receive funding for special security measures. Security is a matter for the authorities and the Jewish institutions must take special measures in view of potential anti-Semitic attacks in Amsterdam. Many of the Dutch Jewish institutions are located in this area.
http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/266/RELIGIE-EN-SPIRITUALITEIT/article/detail/266542/2009/11/05/VVD-wil-bewaking-Joodse-instellingen.dhtml.

Customs Use Money Dogs

The Dutch customs authorities are using dogs to detect Dutchmen bringing in money from over the Belgian border. Belgian banks will soon be reporting on Dutchmen who have money in their accounts. Therefore many people with black money are withdrawing it from the banks and bringing it into the Netherlands. The dogs are capable of detecting money, even in cars.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5256494/__De_Jager_zet_geldhond_in__.html

150 Soccer Fans Fight with Police

One hundred fifty fans of the first league Graafschap soccer team fought with the police before the game on Sunday against Emmen. The fans vandalized the trains they were traveling in, and attacked policemen who were on the trains. At one station there was a fight with the special police unit. Policemen shot in the air. A number of policemen and vandals were wounded.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2909116.ece/Supporters_De_Graafschap_op_de_vuist_met_politie.html

Parliamentarian: Crown Prince Must Choose between Kingship and Vacation Home

Senior Liberal Parliamentarian Willibrord van Beek said on a radio program that, with so much criticism regarding the Crown Prince’s planned vacation home in Mozambique, it seems that he will have to choose between his future reign as king and his vacation home.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5265201/__VVD__Prins_moet_consequenties_nemen__.html

Top League Soccer Game Interrupted due to Insulting Songs

The top league soccer game between ADO and PSV was temporarily stopped by the referee after ADO fans sang insulting songs about him. This occurred after he had sent two of the players off the field. The game was resumed only after a quarter of an hour.
www.volkskrant.nl/sport/article1313466.ece/ADO-PSV_stilgelegd_om_spreekkoren

Only 24% of Public Toilets Clean

The national investigation of public toilets of 2009 has found that only 24% of the 150 inspected public toilets were clean. This is a decline of 2% since the last inspection in 2008. The study was published in the professional cleaners’ magazine Service Management. Cleanliness of faucets, the toilet seats and the door latches were checked. A major finding was that the men’s toilets are often cleaner than those of the women. The main decline was in toilets in health care facilities. As opposed to 33% clean toilets in 2008, this year it was only 22%. www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5266185/__Openbare_wc_s_steeds_smeriger__.html

Military Ship Costs 100 Million Euro More than Budgeted

A new ship for the Dutch Marines will cost almost 100 million Euro more than what was budgeted four years ago. The total cost will be 363.5 million Euros whereas in 2005 it was budgeted at 265 million Euros. Twenty-five million Euros of the extra costs have been caused by new environmental laws. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Defense Jack de Vries (Christian Democrats).

http://www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2405990.ece/Schip_van_marine_100_miljoen_duurder

Special Police Unit Failed in Football Riots

An investigation of the football riots last summer after the game between Cambuur and Roda JC in Leeuwarden, has found that the main reasons for the riots were poor communication, an overcrowded and poorly secured stadium and major mistakes made by the special police unit. Six hundred people rioted; 25 policemen were injured. When the riots broke out the special unit was still putting on their uniforms. They had not brought tear gas and when it was finally brought to the stadium, it turned out that the police had no masks. Their mobile communication equipment was also not functioning.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1311914.ece/Veel_fouten_ME_bij_voetbalrellen_Cambuur

Green Party Leader: Prime Minister Failed in Not Defending Minister

Femke Halsema, the leader of the Green Left Party, has accused Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende of remaining silent when PVV Party Leader Geert Wilders called him an accomplice of the radical Muslim Mohammed B, who murdered Theo Van Gogh. Halsema said that Baldenende always talks about moral standards and thus should have spoken up.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2404281.ece/Halsema_Balkenende_had_Van_der_Laan_moeten_verdedigen

Friends of Murdered Politician Bring Complaint against Former Minister

Two organizations which strive to keep alive the memory of the murdered Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn have brought a complaint against former Minister Alexander Pechtold, now the faction leader of the D-66 party in the Dutch parliament. Pechtold had said on television that PVV party leader Geert Wilders is dangerous for the state, an extreme rightist and an inciter to hate. A representative of the organization said that “with this complaint we want to avoid another political murder after those of Fortuyn and Van Gogh.”
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5236651/__Aangifte_tegen_Alexander_Pechtold__.html

Hague Alderman Attacked during Neighborhood Visit

Alderman Marnix Norder (Labor) of The Hague was physically attacked during a visit to the Wateringseveld neighborhood of the city. Norder complained to the police about the attack and the insults shouted at him. The attacker has been arrested, but now police are investigating whether other people also committed criminal acts against Norder.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5216324/__Haagse_wethouder_belaagd__.html

East European Criminals Steal Massively

A study by Radboud University on behalf of the retailers’ organization Detailhandel Nederland, has found that about 35% of all thefts in shops are carried out by gangs from Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and the Baltic states.
They cause damages in the amount of about 250 million Euro a year.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5236675/__Oost-Europeanen_roven_winkels_leeg__.html

Committee: Physicians Do Not Report Euthanasia of Babies

The committee which investigates physicians who have carried out euthanasia on severely ill babies has announced that not one single case was reported to it in the last two years. It thinks it unlikely that there have been no such cases. Fear of prosecution may have prevented doctors from reporting.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2404175.ece/Commissie_euthanasie_baby_moet_meer_gemeld

Minister: No Subsidies If Hate Incitement Continues

Minister of Integration Eberhard van der Laan (Labor) has sent a letter to parliament saying that discrimination and incitement to hate on subsidized websites must be stopped. On two Moroccan websites -- Marokko.nl and Maroc.nl – expressions have been found which can be seen as inciting, discriminating or insulting. The two websites have promised to deal with the matter.
spitsnet.nl/nieuws.php/7/569030/anp/marokko_nl_belooft_beter_beheer_website.html?p=rubriek7%20headlinesBoven,4

Wilders: Minister is Accomplice to Murderer

PVV party leader Geert Wilders has stated that Minister of Integration Eberhard van der Laan (Labor) and faction leader of the D-66 party, former minister Alexander Pechtold, behave like political accomplices of Mohammed B, the radical Muslim who, five years ago, murdered media maker Theo van Gogh. He said that the Labor Party and D-66 haven’t learned anything from the murder of the politician Pim Fortuyn in 2002. Wilders says that he is being demonized because of the other parties’ fear of the success of PVV.
www.refdag.nl/artikel/1442509/Wilders+Van+der+Laan+handlanger+Mohammed+B.html

Party Leader: Crown Prince Should Abandon Plan for Holiday Home in Mozambique

Alexander Pechtold, the faction leader of the D66 left-of-center party, has called on Crown Prince Willem Alexander to discontinue his project of building a holiday home in Mozambique. According to Pechtold, there are too many risks that the project will fail. That would lead to frequent public debate in the Netherlands, while according to the Dutch constitution, the Crown Prince is not allowed to defend himself. Pechtold mentioned that Mozambique is an unstable country. He added that the prime minister should have had the project analyzed better and prevented the crown prince from starting the project.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2402377.ece/Pechtold_tegen_prins_stop_in_Mozambique

Liberal Party: Boycott Austria and Switzerland

Liberal Parliamentarian Charles Aptroot has proposed a boycott of Austria and Switzerland, in protest against the problems these countries have caused to Dutch truckers with various blocades on their roads. Aptroot says that Austria is discriminating against foreign truckers, which is against European law. He calls on all Dutchmen not to go on skiing holidays to these countries and said that he himself does not drink Austrian wine or eat Swiss chocolate. The Dutch government has joined a court case of the European Commission against Austria.
www.nieuwsbladtransport.nl/nieuws/id27722-VVD_boycot_Alpenlanden_voor_pesten_Nederlands_wegvervoer.html

Squatters Cause Damage to Dutch Embassy in Berlin

Five to ten Dutch squatters in Berlin have attacked the Dutch embassy in that city and caused damages of tens of thousands of Euros. The masked men threw rocks at the windows and orange paint bombs on the building. Four reinforced windows were seriously damaged. An action group of squatters has claimed responsibility for the attack as a reaction of the Dutch anti-squatting law which was accepted by the Dutch parliament last week.
www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/5218025/__Ambassade_in_Berlijn_bekogeld__.html

Police Face Problem of Aging among Staff

The economic crisis and the less favorable pension possibilities are causing many policemen to stay in service longer than expected. This is leading to the aging of the average police force. Within five years half of all policemen will be over 50 years old. According to the Dutch police trade union, this will lead to less policemen being available to patrol the streets. It also means a surplus of police agents, the inability to hire new young staff and financial problems as older policemen get higher salaries than younger ones.
www.parool.nl/parool/nl/224/2009/article/print/detail/265813/Politiekorpsen-in...

Amsterdam Police Chief Dressed Down by Mayor

During a meeting of the Municipal Council Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen called down Police Head Commissioner Bernard Welten, because Welten had attacked the mayor in an interview. Cohen said “I told Welten not to give such an interview ever again. He understands this and it is he who has to repair the damage.” Opposition leader Eric van der Burg of the Liberal Party (VVD) reacted: “If my boss were to say such things about me, I would look for another job the next day.”
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1309034.ece/Welten_over_de_knie_bij_C...

General: Dutch Military Dress Sloppy

Dutch General Mart de Kruif, who until recently was the commander of 40,000 soldiers of the international force in southern Afghanistan, says that the Dutch military make a poor impression on other soldiers there because of their sloppy way of dressing. He added: “A British colleague once told me that it looks as if we aren’t proud of our uniform.”
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5166905/__Militairen_te_slonzig__.html

Expert: Rotterdam Antilleans Will Not Hand Over Weapons

Lionel Martijn of the Foundation for the Welfare of Antilleans and Arubans in Rotterdam has said that Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb’s call to asking Antillean parents to hand over knives and guns to the police is a waste of time. He said that it is good that the mayor is dealing with the issue, but the fact is that the mothers close their eyes to the problem. Ana Alcantara of the Network of Antillean Businessmen is angry that Aboutaleb is focusing only on Antilleans while the problem exists among youngsters of other cultures as well.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5186270/___Antilliaan_levert_wapen_niet_in___.html

Ten Soccer Fans Arrested in Dordrecht

The police arrested ten people in relation to the soccer cup game between FC Dordrecht and Ajax. Two fans lighted torches in the stadium. The others were arrested for violence and carrying weapons. The police considered it a relatively quiet soccer evening.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5197479/__Tien_arrestaties_FC_Dordrecht-Ajax__.html

Prime Minister: Grim Debate Climate in the Netherlands

At the conference of Christian Democrats in Utrecht, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende spoke about a grim debate climate in the country. He said, “The politicians have become reckless and without nuance.” He added that there is more polarization and the general climate and publicity are dominated by caricatures.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1310247.ece/Balkenende_hekelt_grimmiger_klimaat

Wilders: Researchers of Ministry have Gone Crazy

Three researchers who are preparing a report for the Ministry of Internal Affairs have concluded that the PVV Freedom Party is an extreme right party. Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders says that these researchers have gone crazy, and that their conclusions are idiotic. Wilders said that democracy is being undermined by the leftist elite, including these fake researchers, as well as the Islamization of the Netherlands. He said that they will not succeed in silencing him, adding “I’m not going to waste words on mud-slinging research by the left-wing investigations mafia.”
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1310195.ece/Wilders_Ze_zijn_knettergek_geworden

Hirsi Ali: The Bankruptcy of the Dutch Legal System

Former Dutch parliamentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who is now living in the US, has said that the murder of Theo van Gogh five years ago tomorrow, meant the bankruptcy of the Dutch legal system. She says that the multi-cultural parliamentarians and the center parties in Parliament are obfuscating the problems of the integration of Muslim immigrants. The main issue – the nature of the Islamic civilization – is never discussed.
www.parool.nl/parool/nl/4/AMSTERDAM/article/detail/266031/2009/10/31/Hirsi-Ali-islamdebat-is-mislukt.dhtml