Nieuws van de afdeling

10 December 2005

Van Velzen: nuclear chief's Peace Prize ‘curious’

That Mohammed El-Baradei has today received the Nobel Prize for Peace can, according to SP Member of Parliament Krista van Velzen, at the very least be called curious. "It is certainly to be welcomed that he, as head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Authority, repeatedly called for a complete ban on nuclear weapons. Yet the same organisation has, in addition to opposing nuclear armaments, another central task, the promotion of nuclear energy, which creates its own problems," Ms Van Velzen commented.

8 December 2005

Give developing countries room for social policy

The SP believes that international donors are allowing developing countries too little space to build effective social policies, seriously compromising attempts to achieve the millennium goals by 2015.

7 December 2005

European Union: do better by doing less

After the tidal wave of meddling evident since Maastricht, “Do better by doing less” must henceforth be the guiding principle of European integration. The direction must also change, moving away from the present megalomania and neoliberalism which have forced member states to sell off their public sectors. That means no Services Directive, no Port Services Directive, and no more interference in housing, education and health care. If the government does not bring these elements into a new vision of the European Union, they will again have to answer to the voters at the next election as they did in the referendum.

29 November 2005

SP parliamentary motion urges lower charges for transfer of money to developing countries

The Dutch National Parliament's main legislative chamber today backed a joint SP-Christian Democrat motion which could lead to a lowering of costs for immigrants transferring funds to their countries of origin. The motion was proposed by SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel. A recent World Bank study showed that last year developing countries received $167bn dollars from migrant workers sending money to their families. Charges imposed on such payments should be set as low as possible.

28 November 2005

Kox pleased with Council of Europe decision to launch investigation into secret prisons

SP Senator Tiny Kox is pleased with the decision of the Council of Europe to launch an investigation into accusations that the United States is using secret detention centres in Europe to hold prisoners of the so-called 'war on terrorism' The Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has asked Dick Marty, the Swiss Chairman of its Committee for Legal Affairs and Human Rights, to take charge of the enquiry.

26 November 2005

Kartika Liotard wins Traesko Prize

SP Euro-MP Kartika Liotard today received the "Traeskoprisen", the prize for the international political figure who most clearly "has both feet on the ground." The prize is awarded in recognition of the SP's campaign against the European constitution.

International