24 September 2008

Smoking rebellion spreads
AD dedicates the front page as well as a two-page spread to a growing smokers' rebellion. The paper quotes Elly Hazewinkel, who represents the bar and restaurant sector in the town of Westland who says: "I’ve spoken to owners who have suffered a 30 percent drop in turnover."  

The paper writes that the proprietors of bars in at least 11 towns are taking up collections to pay for eventual fines. About 1,000 businessmen have joined a pressure group.  
 
In an interview, one pub owner told the AD: "We went along with the rules the first few months. We even bought a water-pistol to threaten clients in a humorous manner if someone tried to light a cigarette. Meanwhile you saw what was happening: customers stayed away, or left a lot sooner, or drank less because they stood outside smoking…Two weeks ago we brought back the ashtrays. We had no other choice."

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says nearly 20 percent of pubs are not obeying the smoking ban, which went into effect on 1 July. Not surprising, since the small pubs and restaurants are suffering the most.

Most politicians have little sympathy for the protest. Christian Democratic MP Ciska Joldersma says the owners of smaller businesses "had time to prepare themselves…We can’t make any exceptions." Labour MP Lea Bouwmeester says the protest "is unfair towards pubs which are observing the smoking ban….Everyone must obey the law."

'Green energy' shortage in the Netherlands
De Volkskrant reports that European Parliament’s proposal to only consider energy produced nationally as 'green' could lead to a steep rise in the price of green energy in the Netherlands.

The paper writes that most of the green energy used by Dutch consumers is imported. There are now 2.5 million Dutch households that use green energy. If the European plans are implemented, most energy companies will no longer be able to satisfy the demand for green energy.

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