Dutch news in brief – 1 March - Expatica Netherlands

Fewer foreign workers due to poor economy

The number of foreign workers arriving in the Netherlands has declined from 20,000 in 2001 to 16,000 last year, due primarily to the weaker economic climate, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) said on Monday. Most of the foreign workers are men aged between 25 and 35 years. The number of students has increased from 2,000 in 1995 to 9,000 last year. About a quarter (26 percent) of the 75,000 immigrants who arrived in the Netherlands last year came to marry a Dutch resident, the CBS said. The total number of immigrants last year was 12,000 fewer than 2002.

Dutch UN ship returns from Liberian mission

The Dutch navy ship Hr. Ms. Rotterdam returned to the Den Helder harbour at about 11.30am on Saturday after a 106-day United Nations mission in Liberia. The ship’s 256 crew helped set up a UN peacekeeping force in the West African nation. The Rotterdam helped transport aid supplies and soldiers, while the medical team on board also gave assistance to the UN.

Maja suspects separated in psychiatric centre

The two adult suspects in the Maja Bradaric murder case will be housed separately in the Pieter Baan psychiatric centre in Utrecht. Ferdi O. is scared that main suspect Goran M. will try to harm him and his lawyer has succeeded in having them kept away from each other. The dumped body of 16-year-old Maja Bradaric was found burning near Nijmegen last November. The suspects are undergoing psychiatric examinations prior to their trial.

Bicycles less popular

About 1.2 million new bicycles were sold in the Netherlands last year, representing a 3 percent decline on the 2002 figure, the Stichting Fiets (Bicycle Foundation) said on Monday.

Suspect burglar too tired to escape

A 26-year-old burglar fell asleep on a couch in the lounge room of a Rotterdam house located on the Herman Bavinckstraat. A male resident of the house spotted the burglar at about 3.30am when he went to go to the toilet and immediately detained him, while his parents alerted police. The sleepy burglar was taken to the police station for questioning.

Subject: Dutch news