Rutte says Parliament’s
response “scandalous”
THE HAGUE--Leader of Dutch opposition party VVD Mark Rutte says it was “scandalous” that the Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles refused to meet with a delegation of Dutch MPs simply because Dutch MP Hero Brinkman of the Freedom Party PVV wanted to sever ties with the Antilles.
Rutte said this in an interview broadcast on Dutch television.
The VVD thinks the Antilles should follow through on its commitments to the Netherlands regarding debt restructuring and monitoring of this process. “If that does not take place, then the Antilles should come under the direct authority of The Hague,” Rutte said.
Rutte said further that the Dutch cabinet was leading the Netherlands into a recession and must be stopped. Rutte said the cabinet must stop raising taxes and pay more attention to matters like security, integration and traffic congestion.
Rutte referred to slowing economic growth, rising inflation predicted by the Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, falling consumer confidence and the rise in oil prices. He said the Netherlands was not immune to the recession threatening in the US.
“Many people will be worse off as a result of the cabinet policy. In addition to this, inflation is rising dramatically. People have less to spend as a result. Combined, that is disastrous for consumer confidence and the economy,” Rutte said.
He hopes that a poster campaign launched last week can help change the cabinet’s mind.
