Today's edition of De Telegraaf reports that the two main coalition partners, the Labour Party and the Christian Democratic CDA, want to scrap the current policy of leniency towards savers who voluntarily report their foreign-held savings account to the tax authorities.

Today's edition of De Telegraaf reports that the two main coalition partners, the Labour Party and the Christian Democratic CDA, want to scrap the current policy of leniency towards savers who voluntarily report their foreign-held savings account to the tax authorities.

At present, these savers only have to pay their back taxes, but if the coalition partners get their way, these repentant savers will have to pay a 15-percent fine as of 1 January 2010. More than 5000 savers have voluntarily reported their illegal savings to the tax authorities since 2001, and paid a total of 181 million euros in back taxes.

Earlier, Deputy Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager announced he would raise the fine for offshore savers caught by the tax authorities to 300 percent of the back taxes owed. The minister also said he wanted to end the current clemency policy in a few years now that more and more countries are relaxing their banking secrecy laws.

Health care organisations present new 'remuneration code'

De Volkskrant writes that a new remuneration code for top executives in public health care has today been presented to their members by of in organisations of public health care directors and watchdogs. The new code puts a 247,000-euro limit on the salaries of top executives. Interim directors can earn no more than 332,500 euros a year and must resign after one year.

This is the second attempt to put a limit on the salaries of health care directors after last year's failed attempt to cap the top salaries at 220,000 euros. The organisations say it is not relevant whether the interim executives, who have always resisted the introduction of a salary code, will accept the new norm.

A spokesperson for the organisation of watchdogs says, "There are more than enough qualified people willing to do an interim job without demanding excessive pay."

The directors and health care watchdogs hope the new code will end the current practice of frequent changes of management necessitating the appointment of expensive interim managers.

Government ends subsidies to environmental organisations

Trouw reports that Environment Minister Jacqueline Cramer wants to end the general subsidies for environmental organisations. According to the minister, the general subsidies are "outdated", because most people are aware there is a climate problem.

In a letter to parliament, Ms Cramer writes that environmental subsidies will in future be granted to innovative and solution-oriented projects. The environment minister says she wants to support initiatives developed by ordinary citizens working to save energy.

"This is a major trend. I am impressed by what I see happening in residential areas, I want to focus more attention on this phenomenon.

Environmental organisations can apply for subsidies if they organise or promote this type of activity, if not, they will see the government’s contribution to their organisations halved. However, the minister expects the environmental organisations will still be able to play a significant role, even without structural government support.

"The environmental movement has come of age. It's not like in the 1970s, when they consisted of a handful of people, with just a few experts. They are well-organised groups now."

Violence against police officers deemed occupational hazard

AD writes that the police and the public prosecutors' office have failed in their bid to secure severe sentences for people accused of assaulting police officers and other aid workers. During a 'theme session' at the Amsterdam court - only one type of offence was tried - the presiding judge ruled that the confrontation with aggression was an integral part of the profession of police officer.

Even though the suspects accused of assaulting police officers - 20 in all - were punished more severely, the sentences fell short of the 'double sentences' sought by the police and the justice ministry.

The judge said, "Dealing with aggressive people, other unacceptable behaviour and even frightening behaviour is an integral part of the work of a police officer."

However, the judge ruled that this did not apply to aid workers like paramedics.

The justice ministry says it is unhappy with the sentences, but will wait and see what happens during the next theme sessions before evaluating its policy. The police union ACP called the sentences “ridiculous” and warned against more violence directed at police officers.

Teddy bear clinic at Utrecht children's hospital

The front page of today's De Telegraaf features a photograph of medical student Vivianne putting a cast on the broken leg of a teddy bear, with its owner looking on with one arm around the bear's neck.

On Tuesday, the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital in Utrecht had for one day been converted into a teddy bear hospital, including waiting rooms, consultation rooms and surgeries. Six hundred young children from Utrecht primary schools as well as patients from the hospital itself visited the teddy bear clinic.

One hundred-and-fifty medical students took the bears' pulses, temperatures and blood pressures. A mock X-ray machine had been set up which clearly showed the fractures of the teddy bears and other stuffed animals.