European commissioner Neelie Kroes thinks the Netherlands should stop criticising Europe. In an interview with De Telegraaf, she says the country has benefitted from the European Union and should make that known more often.
Ms Kroes says other European countries and Brussels are annoyed at the tirades of anti-European rhetoric coming from The Hague and says it is damaging the country’s reputation. “The tone of (Finance) Minister Jan Kees de Jager is different to his predecessors.”
The commissioner says the Dutch have benefitted hugely from the open European market referring to reports showing the average Dutchman is 2000 euros a year better off thanks to the Europe Union. She warns that they should not throw that away.
Although she does acknowledge that issues like Greece are a source of irritation, and takes criticism of the European Commission to heart. “The PR policy is seriously flawed."
In response, Immigration Minister Gerd Leers told a public radio programme Ms Kroes “definitely has point. We are going to work on our tone. That was discussed at a recent cabinet meeting.”
At the same time, Mr Leers thinks Europe should understand the Netherlands’ position on Europe. “We have to make our position clear. Other European countries should know that we are asking a lot of people, for instance that they have to work for longer and cuts have to be made. Other European countries should see our concerns. We mustn’t lose the support of the public.”
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"Ms Kroes says other European countries and Brussels are annoyed at the tirades of anti-European rhetoric coming from The Hague and says it is damaging the country’s reputation."....When you don't do as the ship's captain (Brussels)tells you to do, you will be tried for mutiny, judged as rebellious, and put on the dock to show all other potential mutineers the consquences of such anti-social behaviours. Wilders was one such mutineer and he escaped this time but you can bet Brussels has him in it's "gun-site" and make him walk the plank some time in the future. The Dutch should criticise Brussels or any government that infringes on their liberties; or else, they will make you walk the plank one person at a time.
The Dutch feel that they are lured into the European political union, without any democratic means. We are in the ship and we have to sail, with a crew that does not listen to us. The Netherlands are on the paying half of this scam, where the southern, Mediterrean states are on the receiving end. There seems to come no end to this situation. So if Mrs.Koers is willing to look forward in stead of backwards, the point of the Dutch is quite understandable.