The deal about the reception of a hundred people from the burned camp Moria was received with mixed reactions in the Lower House on Thursday. According to the left-wing opposition parties, the deal does not go far enough, while the PVV believes that the cabinet has caved. The VVD is particularly pleased with the coalition parties, while D66 and ChristenUnie are not enthusiastic. “We are not overjoyed”, said Joël Voordewind (CU).
Earlier in the day, VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie reached an agreement on the immediate reception of one hundred migrants from the burned down Moria reception camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. The parties agreed, among other things, that the Netherlands is prepared to take over fifty single children under the age of fourteen and fifty “vulnerable” people from the Greeks.
The step is a small break with the government’s policy, which until Thursday afternoon was aimed at not admitting any asylum seekers. The issue has long been a divisive issue in the coalition in which VVD and CDA oppose D66 and ChristenUnie.
The fact that the Netherlands is now taking the step to help the Greeks is seen by D66 and ChristenUnie as a start. “It is a step forward, but certainly not a giant step,” said D66. ChristenUnie: “Of course we would have liked more.”
Opposition fierce on deal: ‘Cow trade with refugees’
The two parties received strong criticism from SP, GroenLinks, PvdA and DENK, among others.
When the debate was postponed by a few hours earlier in the day due to the emergency talks of the coalition, MP Attje Kuiken hoped that a “grand gesture” would come. “It was an exchange of one group of vulnerable refugees for another group of vulnerable refugees,” says Kuiken.
The main objection of the left-wing parties is that although one hundred vulnerable asylum seekers are being collected, that number will be deducted from the already compulsory five hundred vulnerable refugees that the Netherlands will be taking in next year.
SP’er Jasper van Dijk spoke of “haggling with refugees”. Bram van Ojik (GroenLinks) expressed his understanding that government parties must make compromises, but wondered what CU and D66 have brought in. “What’s the deal? A hundred people help, and a hundred other people don’t?”
THINK is also not pleased with the deal. Farid Azarkan believes that the coalition is not interested in the refugees. “It’s about saving the image of the ChristenUnie, D66 and CDA.”
The fact that D66 and the ChristenUnie had to deduct the shelter from the UN quota is also uncomfortable for the two coalition parties. “I also find that painful”, said Maarten Groothuizen (D66).
Voordewind contested the view that nothing is done for refugees. He sees the fact that the cabinet is now taking the step to accept migrants from the overcrowded Greek camps as an important development. He does not see whether the 100 migrants are at the expense of the UN refugees as a trade-off. “It doesn’t matter if you get them from the hell of Lebanon or Lesbos.”
VVD satisfied with agreement: ‘expected compliments from the PVV’
CDA and VVD are more enthusiastic about the agreement. According to VVD MP Bente Becker, the fire has created a unique situation where a majority of the House wanted to make a gesture. As far as she is concerned, the admission of migrants is a one-off and limited in scope. She is pleased that, as part of the deal, it has been agreed to simultaneously shorten the asylum procedure, deport nuisance perpetrators with residence status more quickly and increase the punishment for human smuggling.
She points out that it is not the case that the cabinet has done nothing. For example, the Netherlands has supported the Greeks financially. The fact that the camps on the Greek islands have become overcrowded is, according to her, due to the Greeks themselves who have not been able to set up a working asylum system.
Opposition party PVV does not have a good word for it. Member of Parliament Emiel van Dijk believes that the VVD is returning from an asylum standpoint. “The state secretary said yesterday not to pick anyone up.” He also thinks that the VVD has yielded to the migrants and that the inclusion of a hundred people from the reception camps in Greece undermines its own Turkey deal.
The PVV member pointed out to the VVD that the Turkey deal is aimed at the European Union taking in refugees from Turkey. Migrants who would still venture the crossing to the European mainland would be sent back. “By including just this group of migrants, the VVD is violating the rules of the Turkey deal.”
VVD member Becker did not substantively respond to the accusation and said he thought that the PVV would react more positively to the deal, with the asylum rules being tightened as part.
The fact that the VVD had expected compliments for the deal from the PVV in any case confirms Azarkan in the view that D66 and ChristenUnie have failed themselves. “Why else would the VVD expect compliments from the PVV?”
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