International

The international community must give a ceasefire in Ukraine the chance to remain intact. This goes for Russia, the European Union and NATO, all of which have over the last few months, instead of showing restraint, added fuel to the fire. If the government of the civil war-plagued land manages to negotiate a ceasefire with the rebels in eastern Ukraine, the country must be helped by all possible means to arrive at a political solution to the crisis. SP Senator Tiny Kox made these points during a speech in Paris, where the Council of Europe is meeting this week, a meeting attended  by Kox in his role as president of the Left Group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the organisation, of which every European country is a member.

The SP, Christian Union and Green Left will today present a joint initiative aimed at improving the process of accommodation, support and return of asylum seekers who have had their applications turned down. Sharon Gesthuizen of the SP was joined by fellow MPs from the Christian Union and Green Left in the initiative, which calls for work to be put into finding a real solution for asylum seekers currently dependent on initiatives from charitable organisations and solidarity groups. The three want to prevent more asylum seekers disappearing into illegality, including by ensuring decent accommodation and effective support for people who have been refused residency but who are also unable to return to their countries of origin.