The town of Vaals in the southern province of Limburg is to start turning away jobless foreigners. Newcomers from elsewhere in the European Union claiming benefits are a drain on the town's finances, the local council argues. The European Commission has called for an explanation from The Hague.
Vaals, which lies a stone’s throw from the point where the Dutch, Belgian and German borders meet, recently announced that Europeans without a job or private means were no longer welcome to move in. Three percent of the town’s population are on benefits, yet nine percent of all newcomers make a benefit application. It’s a trend the council would like to reverse.
The impact can be seen in the streets, says Jean-Paul Kompier of local political party Affordable and Sustainable Vaals. “If you have a lot of people on benefits, you have a lot of inactive people. You can tell from the buildings in Vaals. You can see that people hardly carry out any maintenance.”
Free movement
There are 72 different nationalities in Vaals, says Mr Kompier. The place is attractive because the much larger German town of Aachen is just down the road. Aachen offers plenty of amenities while Vaals has a supply of dilapidated housing with rock-bottom rents. Landlords advertise nationwide, and it’s sometimes possible to rent a flat for just 80 euros a month. This attracts Polish migrants in particular, says Mr Kompier. But their limited knowledge of Dutch makes it hard for them to find work, he says.
In banning jobless foreigners, Vaals is following the example of the neighbouring Belgian town of Plombières, and citing EU regulations. None the less, the European Commission has asked The Hague for clarification. Turning away EU citizens may be against the union’s rules on free movement.
Fuss
The plans in Vaals echo measures taken in Rotterdam over the past decade. The city has turned away unemployed people – whether Dutch or foreign – from certain areas, in particular the rundown district of Charlois. And according to Labour Party Councillor Ed Goverde, much has improved there. But that doesn’t mean Vaals should do the same, he says.
Mr Goverde says he’s surprised that Vaals, at such an international point on the map, should be making a fuss about foreigners. Anyway, in Charlois the Polish immigrants are a positive influence, he says. After all, wouldn't you rather have a Pole as a neighbour than a drug dealer?
(/imm)
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Fail to understand, why free EU movement should also allow to move in and then ask for Welfare, without any Tax, Contribution and Residency requirment? By opening the EU membership to Eastern Europe,the original 15,
have created a huge problem to themselves, such as faced by Vaals!?
I think it's perfectly legitimate that foreigners coming to the Netherlands should have work and not be dependent on the state. To expect to get money from a state that you've just moved to and haven't paid into is a cheek. I, as a foreigner, made sure I had a job before I came here. You do the same or clear off home again. I don't want my already large tax burden to increase because of yet more spongers.
Even jobless members of the E.U. should be welcome in Vaals, otherwise tear down the Union!
Houtsma meant, probably,that he is a member of the National Socialist Party.
I prefer to have a jobless pretty Polish woman as my neighbor than a hard working drug dealing pedophile from Vaals.
Hiram, you both confuse and startle me with your quotations and recitals of socialist and human rights philosophies. Have you contracted a mysterious fever in the last day or two? You have me worried more than a little. Get well soon!!
David, Atte Houtsma stated he was a socialist and his statement sort of conflicts with the socailist party's principles. Don't worry about me David. I am going to be okay regardless of what happens.
Of course we have the right to say no, there are problems enough in the Netherland with the flood of imigration. We should have again border control, out of the EEG and form with the Germans, Skandinevia, the Flemmish, Northern Italie and Great Brittian a loose federation with the Hanze Florin as coin.
Atte Houtsma; trade unionist and member of the Socialist party.
Socialist party: "What we stand for"
"The SP’s programme of principles is called ‘The Whole of Humanity’ (‘Heel de Mens’). It contains the core of the SP’s vision of society and the alternatives proposed by us. In our thoughts and deeds we are guided by three concepts: human dignity, equality and solidarity. It is these values that in the course of many centuries have emerged as essential and indispensable aspects of human civilisation and progress. Human dignity, equality and solidarity form, together with our rational analysis of the world, the yardstick against which we measure developments and judge alternatives. Whatever we judge to be positive we attempt to promote, while those things we see as negative we try to prevent or combat.
Human dignity is the respect of one person for another, the right to decide freely the direction society should take, a secure existence for everyone, and a fair chance for every person to live in freedom and strive for his or her own happiness.
Equality means that one person is never worth more than another. On this basis we are for the broadest tolerance in the whole society and against every form of discrimination.
Solidarity between people is necessary because the opportunities afforded to one are fewer than those enjoyed by another. By helping and caring for each other we can give a fair chance to everyone to lead a fulfilling life."
If, I were a socialist, I would have problem with the flood of immigration because of the vast majority of immigrants who flood into countries like the Netherlands. They have not been orientated into mindset of socialism. Therefore, the more people who enter the country lessens the power of the party. Right? One would think that Socialist party would be in favour of supporting the immigrants from countries like Poland. Don't they, the immigrants deserve to be treated as "‘The Whole of Humanity’ (‘Heel de Mens’)?
"you’d rather have a Pole as a neighbour than a drug dealer"
that depends on the prices and selection of drugs on offer
Lalaland, the "Sieg heil!" is the final conclusion and solution of Europe's woes. "Sieg heil!", und "Arbeit macht frei" are the effects of an illness called apathy. I have used the Tilburg case on anti-social behaviours on previous posts and will use it again. Now, Tilburg, like many communties in the world, have social problems and each community makes laws in order to control the behaviours it perceives as negative. What makes Tilburg different is: The Tilburg government (like the Germans of the 1930s)gathers their perceived anti-socials and forced them into a specific location in order not to offend the good, upright citizens. The good, upright citizens did nothing and said nothing against their government because they lack the empathy to publicly defend their dalits. When people, outside the Tilburg community, do not stand-up for Tilburg's Dalits, the leaders of the community and communities in close proximity will start making laws like "Jobless foreigners not welcome in Vaals". When not challenged, abusers of human rights, will continue to to abuse their powers. In closing, if you have noticed, the laws enacted in Tilburg came after Sarkosy's banishment of Romas from France. They, the government of France, collectively gathered European citizens and deported them because of their anti-social behaviours. Maybe, the Tilburg officials saw the French get rid of their anti-socials, and they, too, figured they could get away with violating the human rights of those banished to a specific location. The cycle of hate and human rights abuses has come full circle; and, if people don't wake-up and stand-up against tyrant governments, the bell will eventually toll for them.
First jobless foreigners are not welcome; then foreigners who only buy "Limburgse vlaai" are welcome, and in the end not one foreigner is welcome!Sieg heil!
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