Air Quality does not meet European Norm in 11 Dutch Locations

A report by the Environmental Defense Organization (Milieudefensie) notes that in 11 locations of 58 investigated the air quality does not meet European norms concerning nitrogendioxide. The problematic locations are in Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Maastricht. The organization claims that the European norm is far too weak to protect people’s health. It adds “people have no choice of which air they respire. The problem is urgent.”  

http://nos.nl/artikel/2104341-rapport-luchtkwaliteit-in-nederland-op-11-plekken-onder-de-maat.html

Parliamentarians: Government should pay for guarding Jewish schools

Parliamentarian Joram Van Klaveren of the VNL party has said that the Jewish schools resemble fortifications which cannot be conquered. This is the result of fear. He added that it is wrong that these schools have to pay themselves so much money for their security. www.powned.tv/nieuws/binnenland/2016/05/overheid_moet_joodse_scholen_b.html

Police Service guarding Embassies overloaded

The pressure of the work at the police service Bewaken en Beveiligen (BB) is too heavy. This service is responsible for the guarding of embassies and other important buildings in The Hague. Currently also regular police carries out some of its tasks. There is also a lack of armed vehicles. The police trade union ACP has expressed its concern that the problems at the unit will also have international consequences.

www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1040/Den-Haag/article/detail/4295458/2016/05/06/Afdeling-die-ambassades-bewaakt-is-overbelast.dhtml

JEWISH ORGANIZATION PRESSES CHARGES AGAINST ANTISEMITIC SOCCER SUPPORTERS

The Jewish defense organization The Center for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI) is pressing charges against supporters of the Dutch soccer champion PSV from Eindhoven. A video was posted of people with PSV shorts singing “My dad was in the commandos, my mother in the SS. Together they burned Jews, for Jews burn the best.” A PSV spokesperson expressed his horror at the video.”

www.nltimes.nl/2016/05/11/charges-pressed-psv-supporters-antisemitic-chants/

Deputy Prime Minister: Netherlands and not Morocco has to deal with Ede Hooligans

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Integration Lodewijk Asscher (Labor Party) has said on behalf of the government that the hooligans in the town of Ede have to be dealt with by the Netherlands and not by Morocco. Fifty Moroccan Dutchmen have rioted in the past weeks in the town's Veldhuizen neighborhood.. Ede mayor Cees van der Knaap had called for help from the Moroccan Consul General Khalid Guelzim, who then apologized on behalf of Morocco for the behavior of the youngsters. Van der Knaap has been heavily criticized for his calling on the Moroccan diplomat.   

www.elsevier.nl/nederland/achtergrond/2016/05/asscher-relschoppers-ede-zijn-nederlanders-geen-marokkanen-303827/

UN Think Tank: Billions of Dollars Diverted via the Netherlands

Letterbox companies have deposited about $221 billion dollars in countries with low tax rates, in particular Luxembourg and the Netherlands.  Tax Justice International says that there are more than 20,000 such letterbox companies in Amsterdam which benefit from low Dutch taxes.  As a result, tax authorities worldwide may lose billions of Euros in tax.

www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/vn-denktank-miljarden-weggesluisd-via-nederland~a4294057/

Parliament Concerned about Poor Security at Nuclear Plants

American experts have heavily criticized the poor security at the Dutch nuclear reactors in Borssele, Petten and Delft.  They said that are only equipped with light weaponry, and if there is a terrorist attack, it will take far too long to bring in reinforcements.  A great majority in Parliament has expressed its concern that the nuclear plants are insufficiently guarded.

http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/4275810/2016/04/05/Kamer-vreest-belabberde-beveiliging-kerncentrales.dhtml