International

We were in the right but this isn't being recognised. So say leading Russian politicians, the army general staff and most Russians concerning the recent war with Georgia. Georgia started it, but Russia feels itself to have been put in the dock. And the Russians fear a new division of Europe, says SP Senator Tiny Kox, speaking from Moscow.

An investigation by an organisation dedicated to ensuring that temporary employment bureaux adhere to collective work agreements, which in the Netherlands lay down standards of working conditions and wage rates per trade and sector, has revealed widespread abuse of migrant workers. The investigation showed that more than 100,000 eastern European workers, employed as temporary labour, were subject to exploitation of various kinds by 5,000 fraudulent employment agencies. SP Member of Parliament Paul Ulenbelt, commenting on the findings, said: "The employment minister promised tough action against the exploitation of eastern European workers, but what we're seeing is the exact opposite. Instead of the number reducing, ever more eastern Europeans are becoming the victims of exploitation. I want the minister to establish immediately a licensing system for employment agencies which will allow us to maintain control and guarantee a certain quality."