Dutch news in brief – 15 March - Expatica Netherlands

Mum killed in front of battered women’s refuge

The Shelter Federation has reacted with shock to the 12 March murder of a mother-of-three in front of a Zaanstad home for battered women. The woman was returning from a police station after lodging a report against her husband when she was killed. She had moved from shelter to shelter, but it is alleged that her husband and his network has tracked her down every time. The killer has reported to police. The federation has urged the Cabinet to take greater measures to ensure the safety of women in refuges.

Rotterdam jobless rate doubles national average

The unemployment rate in Rotterdam is nearly double the national average, statistics bureau CBS said. About 10 percent of Rotterdam’s workforce was unemployed in 2003, while the Dutch average was 5.3 percent. Rotterdam’s jobless rate is traditionally higher then the rest of the Netherlands.

Cabinet eases WAO conditions

The Cabinet has eased the WAO worker disability pension scheme, partly accepting advice from the Social Economic Council (SER). The Cabinet decision is in exchange for union agreement on a two-year wage freeze late last year. From 2006, only fully incapacitated workers will receive a WAO pension, the conditions of entry will be less restrictive than initially intended. Anyone less than 80 percent incapacitated must remain working. Present WAO recipients will be re-assessed from 1 July 2004.

Dutch favour greater security over freedom

A large number of Dutch nationals are prepared to give up some freedom for greater protection against terror attacks, research bureau Nipo said. Most people are not concerned about preventative body searches on trains and metro stations, at bus stops or in shopping centres.

A car buyer flush with money

A 38-year-old German man flushed EUR 10,000 down a train toilet between Venlo and Eindhoven last Friday. But with the help of railway police and staff, most of the cash, minus EUR 50, was recovered from the train tracks later that afternoon and on Saturday morning. The man was using the money to buy an American-made car in Eindhoven.

Subject: Dutch news