Nieuws van de afdeling

6 June 2008

Harry van Bommel: The secret of Bilderberg

The Minister-President, as the Dutch premier is known, is in Washington from the 5th to the 8th of June. Together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he will be received at the White House. The ministry has a news release about this on its website, the last sentence of which makes it clear why premier Balkenende is really going to the US. He is certainly not going to speak to the outgoing President, but in order to participate in the Bilderberg Conference.

6 June 2008

Political horse-trading over embryo selection

“Political rows, turf wars and even horse-trading is hardly suitable when the subject is medical ethics. The interests of the different parties in the governing coalition, and their relations with each other, should not determine an issue of medical ethics." So said SP Member of Parliament and spokeswoman on health Agnes Kant during Thursday's debate on embryo selection.

5 June 2008

SP proposal for improvements in Antilles tax system wins broad support

The Dutch Antilles needs a better tax system. This message was received loud and clear – and from all sides of the House - by Secretary of State for Home Affairs Ank Bijleveld during Wednesday's parliamentary meeting on the Antilles tax havens. In the view of the SP and other parties, the tax system must change to enable more investment from major corporations and rich Antillans in education, health care and the fight against poverty.

4 June 2008

Theft of dockers' pensions must be made good

SP Member of Parliament and spokesman on labour affairs Paul Ulenbelt took part in a protest march through Rotterdam on Wednesday along with hundreds of active and retired dock workers. The march was in protest against the retaining of millions of euros of pension money by the insurance firm Optas and Aegon. Work in the harbour ceased for an hour as the marchers crossed the Erasmus Bridge to the court where a judicial hearing was hearing witnesses.

4 June 2008

SP opposes Lisbon Treaty

The European Treaty, the Treaty of Lisbon, debated this week in Parliament, will bring a federal Europe a step closer, says SP Member of Parliament and European affairs spokesman Harry van Bommel. "The treaty has enormous implications for the Netherlands' state system," he argues.

3 June 2008

Plan for war, no plan for peace

“You accuse the SP of having no answer to the Afghan problem, but I have to conclude that the government has no answer to my questions. If we're talking about the mission in Uruzgan, you've certainly got a plan for war, but no plan for peace." This was the pointed conclusion drawn by SP Senator Arjan Vliegenthart at the end of this afternoon's debate with Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen.

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