Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte today unceremoniously fired his Deputy Minister of Economy Mona Keiser for her criticism of the government’s decision to introduce a health pass, DPA reported.
The prime minister made the unusual decision in response to an interview Kaiser told the Telegraph:
“If we find ourselves in a society where we have to be afraid of each other, if we can’t show a certificate, then we really have to ask ourselves: is this the direction we want to go?”
According to a government statement, Rutte said that Kaiser’s comments were not in line with the decisions of the Council of Ministers.
From today, Dutch people aged 13 and over who intend to visit restaurants, sporting events and cultural sites will have to prove that they have been vaccinated, tested negative for KOVID-19 or have had it. The new measure coincided with the repeal of the 1.5m rule in public places in the Netherlands, where 72 percent of the population has been vaccinated with at least one dose. Although masks remain mandatory on public transport, students and teachers will no longer be required to wear them to school.
Rutte decided to fire Kaiser without notice after receiving approval from Economy Minister Steph Block and consulting with three deputy prime ministers. Block will take over the functions of Kaiser.
Several thousand people protested today against the health pass in The Hague, comparing one of the posters with the mandatory identification cards introduced by the Nazis in the occupied Netherlands to persecute Jews.
Most Dutch people support the health pass, but it has drawn criticism in the restaurant sector.
More than 40 percent of bar and restaurant owners do not intend to require a vaccination certificate from their customers, said the association of the restaurant industry “Horeka Nederland”, citing a survey among its members.
He added that many companies consider the requirement a “political tool” aimed at increasing vaccination.
“It is not only impossible to implement, but it will cause financial damage to a sector that has just begun to recover,” the association said.
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