International

While the Bank of the Netherlands (DNB) and the Finance Minister speak of ‘irregularities’ and ‘incidents’ at ABN Dubai, Dubai’s own regulator, in publishing the explanation for the penalties it has imposed, presents an entirely different picture, one of systematic malpractice. DNB, in its capacity as the Dutch regulator, has also conducted its own investigation, but in contrast to the report by its counterpart in Dubai, its findings have been kept under lock and key, with DNB refusing to make any comment. SP Member of Parliament and finance spokesman Arnold Merkies wants the Dutch regulator to offer the same openness as does the Dubai authority.

Today more than 55 million Turks will have the chance to vote in the country’s general election. Expected turnout is high, probably close to 90%. That’s good news, as these elections are of unusually great importance. They do not, however, guarantee that Turkish democracy will stay on its feet. Concerns in the entire country and beyond are greater than ever before, writes SP Senator Tiny Kox, who was one of a team of election observers from the Council of Europe, a task he also performed in the previous elections in June.

Thousands of Turkish citizens resident in the Netherlands have been sent a letter allegedly by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmed Davutoglu calling on them to vote for the ruling AK Party. Many are asking how their names and addresses have been acquired. On a proposal from Sadet Karabulut. Parliament unanimously condemned this canvassing action. In addition, the Dutch government has described the Turkish interference as completely inappropriate. In Turkey itself the country’s government’s action has been discussed by the international observers monitoring Sunday’s elections, reports SP Senator Kox, who is there as part of the Council of Europe’s team of observers.

The Greek parliamentary elections of 20th September brought an unexpectedly large victory for Syriza and its leader Alexis Tsipras. Whether this will be of any help to the ordinary Greek is the question, however. Much depends on the attitude of the troika of European Commission, ECB and IMF.

On the SP’s initiative the Turkish ambassador has been summoned by the government to explain why a letter has been sent to thousands of Dutch residents of Turkish origin in which a number of promises were made, including the provision of more Turkish-language education in the Netherlands.

Noam Chomsky on Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn, and the potential for ordinary people to make radical change.

Lobbying watchdogs Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and Lobby Control today published a report which shows that many members of the second Barroso Commission, whose term expired last year, have accepted jobs which don’t stand up to scrutiny. ‘It’s hard to understand how a former European Commissioner such as Viviane Reding can claim with a straight face that her activities at the Bertelsmann Foundation are not aimed at influencing the European institutions,’ says SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong. ‘To influence policy is precisely why this foundation was established. Yet she received permission to take this post from the current Commission under Jean-Claude Juncker. No wonder that people in Europe have no confidence in these EU institutions. The influence of the corporate lobby reaches to the very highest level.’

SP Senator Tiny Kox is in Turkey observing the country’s general election on behalf of the Council of Europe. This week he is stationed in the region of Ankara, where numerous seats are being contested. The situation is tense in the aftermath of the death of 102 participants in a peace march. The demonstrators lost their lives as a result of a number of bomb explosions in the centre of the Turkish capital.

The refugee crisis is making visible the unrest just below the surface of our society. Hard work is being done by professionals and by volunteers to organise accommodation and care, but at the same time unease in society is growing.