Dutch news in brief – 11 June

Dutch job vacancies on the rise

The number of job vacancies in the Netherlands increased in the first quarter of this year, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) said. More than 111,000 jobs were available, an increase of 12,000 compared with the previous quarter. The number of vacancies had decreased continually in the past three years, until the fourth quarter of 2003, Radio Netherlands reported.

Dijkstal, Verdonk settle integration differences

Former Liberal VVD leader Hans Dijkstal and Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk patched up their conflict over the minister’s integration policies during a Friday morning meeting. Dijkstal — who had earlier in the week sharply criticised Verdonk for her proposal to publicly identify immigrants on based on the level of integration — said after the meeting that it had been “penetrating” and “sharp” meeting, but was eventually a pleasing discussion. A joint statement said the planned use of the “integration badges” was not intended to stigmatise immigrants and Dijkstal had not intended to question Verdonk’s integrity. He apologised if that had been the result.

Sailor missing after collision

A Dutch and German ship collided on Friday morning and one of the crew members of the German boat is missing, the Coast Watch Centre in Den Helder said. A large-scale search and rescue operation was called off at about 12.45pm. The collision occurred at about 2.30am about 3.5km of the coast of the German island Borkum in the Wadden Sea. The German prawn boat sank to a depth of about 16m and two of the three crew members were pulled to safety by a rescue boat and taken to a hospital in Groningen. Divers are searching fro the missing crew member. The Dutch fishing ship was only slightly damaged.

Gas leak forces evacuation of residents

The fire brigade evacuated 50 people from the southern Limburg town of Ransdaal on Friday morning after a gas leak was reported. The leak was caused when a large gas pipe was ruptured during public works on the Straterweg. Energy company Essent closed the leak about an hour later and most people were allowed to return to their homes, but those living closest to the leak were forced to wait longer because there was still too much gas in their homes. Repair works on the pipe continued until about 3pm.

Karremans prepared to give testimony

The commander of the Dutch troops at Srebrenica, Thom Karremans, is prepared to give testimony to the UN Yugoslavia war Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, the Dutch Defence Ministry has said. The defence team representing Bosnian-Serb officer Vidoje Blagojevic wants to hear testimony from Karremans. The retired military officer lives in Spain, having felt threatened in the Netherlands and has been requested to give testimony in June. He was the commander of Dutch UN troops at Srebrenica when the Muslim enclave was overran by Serb forces in July 1995. At least 7,000 men and boys were later executed by Bosnian Serbian troops.

Man confesses to lawyer’s stabbing

The 18-year-old Gendringen man arrested in Germany for the recent stabbing murder of a lawyer in the Dutch place of Doetinchem has confessed to German police, the prosecution authorities in the Dutch city of Zutphen said. The suspect is expected to be extradited to the Netherlands within the next two months. Lawyer Machiel Pul, 32, was stabbed to death last week.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news