Dutch news in brief – 12 July 2004

Daughter of murdered ‘gangster’ expected to live

The 12-year-old girl injured when her reputed drug dealer father was shot and killed in Amsterdam last week is expected to live. The girl is still severely injured and has been operated on several times, but her injuries are not life threatening, newspaper Het Parool reported on Monday. Her father, Mounir “Abdel” Barsoum, 55, was killed on 8 July, the latest victim in a series of gangland slayings. Eyewitnesses claim the girl tried to shield her father from the bullets and was shot in the side and other parts of her body. 

PSV executive sex abuse inquiries completed

Preliminary investigations into former PSV executive Fons Spooren, who is suspected of sexually abusing male youths, has been completed and the trial will start in Den Bosch Court on Thursday. The case against Spooren is part of a large-scale investigation into sexual abuse scandal that took place at the Anne Frankplantsoen in Eindhoven. Spooren allegedly had paid sex with underage boys despite being aware he was HIV positive and is thus also charged with attempted serious assault. It is hoped the trial can be completed in one day.

Cabinet backs EUR 750m in extra savings

The Cabinet agreed on Friday to extra budgetary savings amounting to EUR 750 million to maintain the 2005 budget under 3 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Social Affairs Ministry will cut EUR 186 million from its budget, while the Health Ministry will cut EUR 100 million. The Education Ministry will demand students pay higher college fees, but the Democrat D66 party succeeded in preventing the OV-jaarkaart for students being transformed into a loan. The jaarkaart gives students on study financing free public transport. Most budget cuts will not only affect next year, but will also carry through to 2007, news agency ANP reported.

Vendex set to disappear from stock market

Vendex KBB − which owns the Bijenkorf, V&D, Hema and Praxis − has said it will disappear from the stock market on 3 August now that 97.2 percent of shareholders have offered their shares to investment consortium consisting of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and Alpinvest. The consortium is paying EUR 15.40 per Vendex KBB share, Dutch public news service NOS reported. KKR will gain 91 percent control of Vendex and Alpinvest will gain 9 percent. KKR is a US investment company and the world’s largest.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news