Nieuws van de afdeling

13 April 2006

Proposed law splitting energy suppliers will make the Netherlands Europe's dupe

The handling of the proposed law to split up energy supply firms has a long history. SP Member of Parliament Ewout Irrgang began his contribution to today's parliamentary debate over the issue by looking back.

13 April 2006

Foreign minister must drop double standard and talk with Palestinians

Foreign Minister Ben Bot wants to curtail financial aid to the new, democratically elected Palestinian government until ruling party Hamas is prepared to forswear violence, recognise Israel and commit itself to prior treaties such as the Road Map. This is foolish, say Member of Parliament and SP foreign affairs spokesman Harry van Bommel and SP Senator and Middle East specialist Anja Meulenbelt, certainly if similar demands are not placed on Israel.

12 April 2006

Van Bommel: “No EU enlargement for the time being”

A further enlargement of the European Union is not, the SP believes, a good idea. According to European affairs spokesman Harry van Bommel, the EU's existing probems must first be resolved. “The European family is in crisis, and during a family crisis adding to the family is simply foolish,” said the SP Member of Parliament.

12 April 2006

Demonstration addressed by SP's Jan de Wit: ‘Stop the abuses before you open the borders’

“It is irresponsible to open the borders fully to workers from the new EU member states, whether on May 1st or January 1st,” said SP Member of Parliament Jan de Wit today when addressing the demonstration whose slogan was “Equal work, equal pay”. An unmanaged influx of labour from the new member states will result in disruption of the labour market, he said, with Polish workers suffering exploitation, and Dutch workers and small businesses forced out of the market. The labour market will become a Wild West with workers forced into cut-throat competition.

12 April 2006

European Union refuses visas to Council of Europe's Palestinian guests

“A serious breach of the right of Europe's oldest human rights organisation to invite people who could do useful work for us.” This was SP Senator Tiny Kox's description of the refusal by the European Union of a visa to the Palestinian parliamentary delegation invited to a meeting of the Council of Europe. The delegation would have participated in a tripartite forum of Israeli, Palestinian and European parliamentarians by means of which the Council of Europe intended to offer its support to restarting the currently stalled peace process.

12 April 2006

SP seeking clarification on preparation for Uruzgan mission

SP Member of Parliament Krista van Velzen has asked Defence Minister Henk Kamp for his reaction to statements from a Dutch soldier to the effect that the troops posted to the Afghan region of Uruzgan are extremely inexperienced and poorly prepared. “If this whistle-blower turns out to be right,” Ms Van Velzen said, “these soldiers are running an unnaceptable risk in Afghanistan.”

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