Nieuws van de afdeling

28 May 2013

Van Bommel: ‘Lifting arms embargo on Syria is overture to increased violence’

SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel believes that lifting the arms embargo on Syria is from all points of view the wrong choice and fears that in practice it will lead to more violence. ‘At the very time when the United States and Russia have joined forces to organise a peace conference, the EU decides to let the arms embargo expire,’ says Van Bommel. ‘Worse timing is hard to imagine. This peace conference is the first hopeful diplomatic development for some months, but the EU’s decision will greatly undermine the conference’s chances. This decision could represent the overture to the peace conference’s failure.’

24 May 2013

SP launches attack on international tax evasion

On Friday, during the first SP Tax Free Tour, SP Member of Parliament Arnold Merkies presented eight proposals designed to tackle international tax evasion. The aim of the proposals is to prevent corporations registering themselves in the Netherlands with the sole purpose of evading taxes, as well as to see the international approach to tax evasion strengthened.

24 May 2013

Van Bommel: ‘International Criminal Court must be strengthened’

The International Criminal Court (ICC) must be strengthened. This was the conclusion to which SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel came today, following a working visit to the Court in The Hague. In Van Bommel’s assessment the credibility of this important institution will be at risk should no more staff and financial resources be allocated to it. ‘The ICC has reached the limits of its present capacity,’ says Van Bommel. ‘It would be scandalous if in the near future this were to mean that no more cases could be taken on.’

22 May 2013

Poison gas supplied to Syria: Van Bommel demands explanation

SP member of Parliament Harry van Bommel has asked the government for its comments on the report that Syria was until at least 2010 importing raw materials from which chemical weapons may have been produced. ‘For some years it’s been known that Syria has access to such weapons,’ says Van Bommel. ‘Despite this the raw material for the poison gas has been imported into the country without hindrance. That’s unacceptable, so I’m asking the government if it can account for it.’

21 May 2013

Time for large-scale mobilisation against tax evasion in Europe

The European Parliament and the European Commission called during today’s debate on tomorrow’s European Council meeting for concrete measures against tax evasion, an issue on which the Irish, currently holding the EU’s six-month rotating presidency, remain vague. SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong stated the party’s position during the debate. ‘Even tax inspectors no longer get why ordinary taxpayers and small businesses have to pay their full whack while multinationals pay hardly any tax or none at all,’ he said. ‘If the European Council doesn’t tackle this tomorrow, they will lose all credibility.’

17 May 2013

Lifting EU sanctions on Burma sends wrong signal

Sanctions against Burma have given effective support to the country’s democratisation process. Now, however, the big stick has gone.

International