Nieuws van de afdeling

15 February 2011

De Jong: reject plan for EU meddling in pensions

SP-Euro-MP Dennis de Jong is critical of the parliamentary report on pensions prepared by Dutch Christian Democrat Ria Oomen. In De Jong’s view the report gives the impression that it is calling for binding European agreements on the pensions systems of the member states. 'The report argues for a raising of the pensionable age, which is a purely national matter,’ he says. ‘In the Netherlands it’s absolutely unnecessary – we have no need for any regulation from Brussels in this policy area.’

15 February 2011

Government’s assurance on Kunduz ‘almost laughable’

SP leader Emile Roemer today called the government to account over reports from the Afghan province of Kunduz which state that police officers already stationed there have been involved in fighting the Taliban and that this will continue. The reports appeared in the Dutch national daily De Volkskrant. ‘Kunduz is a war zone,’ said Roemer. ‘Nobody can guarantee that, if they run into a busload of Taliban, the police officers that we are going to train will do no more than issue a parking ticket. And without reliable assurances there is no majority in Parliament in favour of the mission.’

15 February 2011

De Jong: new European asylum package needed

On the initiative of SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong and others, the European Parliament today debated asylum policy in Europe. Several EU member states are unhappy with the new asylum package establishing revised rules regarding the reception, processing and return of asylum seekers. These new rules are urgently needed because the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) recently banned the forcible return of asylum seekers to Greece, where many of them enter the EU and where the current rules say their applications should therefore be processed. 'Without sound European rules it’s only a question of time before Italy too fails to meet standards,’ warns De Jong. ‘The ECHR would then block the transfer of asylum seekers to Italy. Clearly we now need to find rapid agreement on reception and processing, and on the division of responsibilities. An emergency procedure for extreme situations such as we see now on Lampedusa must form part of this.’

11 February 2011

Historic day for Egypt and the Arab world

The resignation of President Mubarak of Egypt is the high point to date in what is a historic development for Egypt and for the whole of the Middle East, commented SP leader Emile Roemer after the now ex-Egyptian President’s decision to hand over his presidential powers. ‘The SP congratulates the Egyptian people and the courageous members of the 6th of April Movement who eighteen days ago began a political adventure that led to the political revolution of 11th February 2011. No-one could have dreamt, after the fraudulent parliamentary elections of November, 2010, that this would happen.

11 February 2011

Interview with Harry van Bommel: ‘I won’t trade human lives for prestige’

The SP is against the police mission to Afghanistan. Still, the training of Afghan police officers would under certain conditions be, for Harry van Bommel, ‘open to discussion. The Taliban aren’t just going to let themselves be taken away in Black Marias.’ An interview with Harry van Bommel. • By Machiel Rebergen

8 February 2011

The world in movement

Emile Roemer

International