International

“This is an important day for those who were close to the victims. A thorough and careful report has been done. An important phase in the criminal enquiry has been completed. The circumstances and the location of the attack on MH17 have been confirmed.” This was the reaction of SP leader Emile Roemer today to the interim report of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), the body charged with conducting the criminal enquiry into the July 2015 attack on flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in Ukrainian airspace.

SP leader Emile Roemer today gave the SP's response to the government's plans for the coming year, announced on Tuesday. These included the centre-right-centre-left coalition's final budget before it must face the electorate. In his speech to Parliament, with next year's election looming, Roemer attacked the government's record, concentrating for the most part on domestic concerns, particularly the rising cost of health care and the increasing inequality of which it is a major cause. Young and old deserve better, he said. There were ever fewer permanent jobs, and student grants had been abolished. School classes were far too large. Pensions had been lowered, while banks were rescued with taxpayers' money and pension funds rack up record profits.