You may have already heard about the notorious murder of crime journalist Peter R. de Vries. Well, as it turns out, there was a plan to kidnap the Dutch prime minister too.
This information came from one of the key witnesses at the end of last year, who says they heard it from Krystian M., the suspect for organising Peter R. de Vries’ murder.
#Netherlands: On one year anniversary of his assassination, IPI & our global network remember fearless journalist Peter R. de Vries, who was shot as he left a TV studio in Amsterdam. As the trial of his alleged killers continues, we hope justice is achieved for him & his family. pic.twitter.com/dNlhLE4Z5N
— IPI – The Global Network for Independent Media (@globalfreemedia) July 15, 2022
After De Vries’s assassination in July 2021, Rutte received extra security due to the ongoing threat, according to NU.nl.
At the time, Eddy was a close friend of Krystian M., and according to him, the criminal organisation was looking for someone who could kill “a journalist”.
It was the uncle?
According to Eddy, Krystian M. was referring to the murder plan as “uncle”. He never mentioned a concrete name, but he concludes that behind the nickname there is Taghi, the person who is also behind the murder of Nabil B.’s lawyer, and that crown witness’ brother.
Eddy said that, in Rutte’s case, all the references were made to “uncle”.
Princess in castle
Princess Amalia, the heir to the throne in the Dutch royal family also received extra security in September 2022. She had to leave her student house in Amsterdam, and go back to the Royal Palace.
Rutte is also not allowed to eat his apple on the bike now, because extra security also extends to him.
Temperatures of up to 17 degrees Celsius have hit the Netherlands this week, making it the warmest beginning to a year on record. 🥵
The Netherlands has just broken a record and it’s not one that has us saying gefeliciteerd!
Climate specialist Bart Verheggen told RTL Nieuws that these temperatures are niet normaal and that the same panic over extremely hot summers needs to be applied to warm winters.
This January has already experienced temperatures of 16.9 degrees, setting records for the warmest January day ever measured for seven European countries.
In a world faced with a crisis, you might expect immediate action to be a response to such news. Except, 16 degrees isn’t as uncomfortable as 40 degrees in the summer, so feelings are very different.
The nights are even as warm as the days, with “temperatures (that) belong to May or June,” says Maurice Middendorp of Buienradar to RTL Nieuws.
It goes without saying that action needs to be taken, especially when foreign meteorologists label the issue as “the worst heatwave ever.” 😲
A European effort
The Netherlands isn’t the only one suffering; the rest of Europe has been dealt the same blow. 🔥
“The intensity and magnitude of this winter heatwave are unique in European history,” says meteorologist Colin McArthy to RTL Nieuws.
Ecological collapse
Biologist Arnold van Vliet says that “Ecosystems are in decline,” and that plants and animals are in real trouble due to man-made climate change.
Mastercard just announced its decision to phase out Maestro debit cards in 2023, and here’s what that means for you and your geldje (money). 💳
From mid-2023, Maestro-branded debit cards will no longer be available, reports Betaalvereniging Nederland (the Dutch payments association).
Why are Maestro debit cards being given the boot?
Maestro debit cards don’t allow customers to pay for products at shops outside of Europe, and even online payments must be facilitated via the online payment system iDeal.
Maestro cardholders, therefore, are often left high and dry when attempting to pay for things abroad as their cards don’t allow them to pay in regular shops outside of Europe.
And, they haven’t usually got a credit card to fall back on (something that only 55% of Dutchies own).
I have my own maestro debit card and yet it's essentially near-useless on the goddamn internet
— TheWitheredStriker (Midas) 🇺🇦 (@WitheredStriker) November 1, 2022
The newer Visa Debit and Debit Mastercards that are currently in the process of being rolled out intend to fix these issues. (Better late than never, we guess! 🙌)
What does this mean for existing Maestro cardholders?
Fortunately, cardholders will not have to wrestle with the beast that is Dutch bureaucracy, as banks will automatically send them a new card sometime in the coming year.
Just over half of all shops in the Netherlands now accept Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit, so they also needn’t worry about being left unable to pay for their essentials whilst the new debit cards are in the process of being rolled out.
What do you think of Mastercard’s decision to get rid of Maestro cards? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
On New Year’s Eve, a man driving a diesel-run car was seized by the politie after stealing gas from a local petrol station. 🤭
Employees were suspicious when a car entered the petrol station with taped licence plates.
All was revealed when the car came to a stand-still — the man had filled his diesel-run car with petrol which meant it could no longer drive, reports the NOS.
It’s assumed the man had previously stolen petrol last week… at the same station.
The man took off on foot after he became aware of his mistake, prompting employees at the petrol station to sprint after him in a sort of cat-and-mouse chase. 🐭
He was eventually caught and handed over to the police. Hoera!
What do you think about this man’s mistake? Tell us in the comments below.
A code yellow was issued on Tuesday morning in five Dutch provinces due to locally dense fog. Noord-Holland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijssel, and Flevoland are affected.
According to the KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute), the fog banks may be misleading, as visibility can vary from place to place, reports NU.nl. So, pas op!
Moody weather
After breaking several records over the weekend, the Dutch weather is once again struggling to make up its mind. 🎢
After the fog lifts later on in the morning, the first half of the day is set to be dry, with little sun.
And it wouldn’t be the Netherlands if there wasn’t also wind.
While the rest of the country will see weak to moderate winds, wind near the coast will be strong, with guts of wind of up to 85 kilometres per hour. 💨
Later on in the day, we’ll also see *drumroll please* … some rain, of course! 🌧️ Temperatures will rise to about 8 or 9 degrees Celsius.
But ditch the sweaters
Both the wind and the rain are here to stay (at least for a little bit), but so are the mild temperatures. 🌡️
A tale of two types of weather this week across Europe; with positive heights across southern portion, above average temps will occur through this week while below average temps & stormy weather shift into Northern Europe (i.e. UK, Denmark, Netherlands, etc). A.S. pic.twitter.com/4LbS9WnZ2u
When Rotterdam’s fireworks show was cancelled due to weather on New Year’s Eve, a mystery projector stepped in, allowing the racist slogans to be seen at midnight. What a way to bring in the new year! 😬
According to Mark Rouwenhorst, one of the organisers of the called-off firework show, the projection came from one of the apartments facing the bridge.
“During New Year’s Eve, we already saw a text appear on the Erasmus Bridge as ‘Happy New Year,’ but we didn’t pay much attention to it. We did see that the projection came from a flat, and we thought it was a bit mischievous.”
Fascism is alive and well in the Netherlands. They're confident enough to spend New Year's Eve projecting racist slogans for all of Rotterdam to see. Hopefully they're prosecuted. https://t.co/tqLc9gIX8N
“The next morning, we heard what happened to the original text, which is terrible, of course. If we had known that, we would have paid better attention to which residence the projection came from,” said Rouwenhorst to the AD.
He also noted that it is not possible to project something from such a distance with your projector from standard stores, so it was probably a professional laser projector made for these kinds of purposes. Suspicious! 🤔
Called out
Many people decided to grab their keyboards and express their opinion on social media. Twitter has been full of reactions, calling the incident a shame.
Mieke Megawati-Vlasblom, a politician from BIJ1 Rotterdam tweeted as well.
“It gives a very unpleasant and unsafe feeling. I saw it on Twitter and immediately thought: racism doesn’t stop, not even on a festive day like today.”
Anyone who has information or has seen the projector is asked to report it to the police.
What do you think of this racist performance? Tell us in the comments below!
New year, new resolutions — and Dutchies are calling time on greetings that include three kisses on the cheeks.
While the three kisses are a formal Dutch greeting to do when you say hello or meet someone new for the first time, people in the Netherlands are over it. This was shown by research conducted by Editie NL, reports RTL Nieuws.
The end of kissing
During the research, a survey was organized that included 1042 people of all ages from different regions in the Netherlands.
The results revealed that only 39% of Dutchies plan to continue this germ-spreading etiquette into the new year.
In contrast, 67% want to say “doei” to the three kisses. The only exception? Giving three kisses when you wish each other good luck. 🍀😘
Less kissing, more hugging
The research showed that Dutchies have found an alternative to the kissing rule: shaking hands or hugging. Over 20% prefer greeting one another with a shake of a hand, while 27% prefer a good old hug. 🤗
Wanting to end the three kisses isn’t entirely unexpected. The pandemic forced everyone to reconsider their greetings.
“It was a period in which we had to adapt very quickly,” etiquette expert, Annemarie van Leggelo, told Editie NL.
Van Leggelo reports that Dutchies wanting to make the three kisses disappear was even made clear before the coronavirus, particularly for students.
“Ladies in particular thought three kisses was too much,” she reports.
While the three kisses have always been a traditional form of greeting in the Netherlands, Van Leggelo states that “the new generation is doing it less and the older generation will slowly stop as well.”
Tell me about it! In the Netherlands, the standard are three kisses, in Spain two, in Morocco (depend on where and who) they can be one, four, five… or for ever. I experience that awkward moment every day of my life. https://t.co/cNlVTy9RJi
More than 50,000 Dutchies dived into freezing cold lakes and seas across the Netherlands to celebrate the turn of a new year. 🥶
A tradition known as the annual New Year’s dive (Nieuwjaarsduik) brings people near and far to icy waters in and around the Netherlands. And no, not for ice-skating.
Tens of thousands of men, women, and children with nerves of steel participated this year, bringing past year’s numbers to shame, reports RTL Nieuws.
A two-year hiatus
The Nieuwsjaarduik was put on hold for two years because of the virus-which-shall-not-be-named. 🤫
To celebrate its return, people turned out in droves for the honour. Of course, let’s be honest, if you’re promised a warm erwtensoep afterwards, then who wouldn’t want to join in? 🤪
A fresh start
Usually, the water is freezing (a la January in the Netherlands), but at the time of the dive, the participants enjoyed a warm 11 degrees Celsius as of the recent record-breaking temperatures.
But why do these fearless Dutchies insist on plunging into the icy water? Well, they claim that it’s refreshing, floods you with endorphins, is good for blood circulation and the immune system, and is great for your mental health.
Our suspicion? We reckon it’s one hell of a way to cure a hangover.
The turn of the year has broken a total of three weather records within the span of just a few hours.
First, New Year’s Eve was recorded as the warmest December day ever measured.
Then, January 1 became not just the warmest New Year’s Day ever measured in the Netherlands — but also the warmest January day ever recorded.
Warmest New Year’s Day
Bringing in 2023, just a few hours past midnight, temperatures of 15.6 degrees Celsius were measured in De Bilt, the Dutch meteorological institute headquarters in the centre of the Netherlands.
This broke last year’s record of 13.2 degrees for the warmest New Year’s day since the start of measurements in 1901, writesWeer & Radar.
Regionally, it got even warmer, and temperatures reached up to 16.9 degrees in Eindhoven. 😳
Warmest December Day
The last day of 2022 also had one more ace up its sleeve. With 15.9 degrees measured in De Bilt, it became the hottest December day ever recorded in the Netherlands. 🌡️
Unusually warm winter weather here in the Netherlands; already over 13⁰C now. This bee left its winter home (and landed on our NO junk mail sticker 😉 pic.twitter.com/40bo1ZFPVO
This was the eighth heat record broken in the Netherlands in 2022. Meanwhile, only one cold record was achieved.
Warmest January Day
If becoming warmer was the Netherlands’ New Year’s resolution, then it would be right on track, unfortunately.
January 1, 2023 was the warmest January day to date, breaking the previous record of 15.1 degrees from January 13, 1993.
From gas prices, to inflation, to temperatures, the Netherlands broke many records in 2022 — and 2023 will be no different, it seems.
Colder temperatures coming
After icy temperatures at the beginning of December, the past weeks have seen extremely mild weather throughout most of Europe.
It is unseasonably warm here in the Netherlands. This time last year it was -5 degrees. Two weeks back people were skating on the lakes behind our house. pic.twitter.com/imrrp6EX3a
On average, temperatures have been 10 to 20 degrees higher than usual around this time. But more heat records are unlikely to be broken in the next few days, with temperatures set to decrease ever so slightly.
But although it will get colder in the coming days, we will remain far away from typical winter weather. ❄️
What do you think of these weather records being broken? Tell us in the comments below!
Thinking about becoming a Dutch citizen? How do you become a true Dutchie — one with the papers to prove it?
So, you’re looking to become Dutch and wanna know how to get Dutch citizenship? Good choice!
But how do you become Dutch, do you ask? We’re sorry to tell you this, but biking, eating a load of cheese and growing to over 6 feet tall isn’t going to make you legally Dutch. You’re halfway there though, don’t sweat it. 😉
How to get Dutch citizenship
The good news is that if you are a foreign national and have been living in the Netherlands for five years, then you will be able to apply for a Dutch passport/obtain Dutch citizenship. How does that work?
Well, you can become a Dutchie in three different ways:
By option: If you have lived in the Netherlands continuously since childhood and are now an adult.
By naturalisation: If you have lived in the Netherlands for five years straight (or are eligible for an exception).
By birth: If one of both of your parents are Dutch (this includes adoption), depending on when you were born.
You automatically become a Dutch citizen if one of your parents holds Dutch citizenship when you are born. Image: Depositphotos.
The most complicated of them all is Dutch citizenship by naturalisation — which is most likely what you are looking to learn about. So let’s discuss the process in more detail!
What is citizenship by naturalisation?
Naturalisation is just what it says on the tin — you’re slowly naturalising, or integrating, into Dutch life while living in the Netherlands. To apply for citizenship in this way, there are many different conditions you need to meet:
You need to be an adult — over 18 years of age.
You need to have a valid residence permit.
You need to have legally lived in the Netherlands (or Dutch Caribbean) for five years continuously.*
You can write, speak and read Dutch, as demonstrated by passing the Dutch Civic Integration Exam at A2 level (this may change in the future to B1 level, but a date hasn’t been confirmed as of yet)
You are not a danger to public order or national security.
You are willing to renounce your nationality and declare an allegiance to the Netherlands at a compulsory citizenship ceremony.
*If you’re reading this and thinking “Aw shucks, I’m way off the five-year mark” — well, keep reading.
What if I haven’t been in the Netherlands for five years?
It hasn’t been five years!? Don’t worry, we have this section covered. You can thank us later if you want.
There are a few exceptions to the five-year rule, like:
You are stateless (e.g. officially a refugee) and have lived in the Netherlands legally for at least three years.
You’ve held Dutch nationality in the past.
You are married or in a registered partnership with a Dutch citizen and have lived together in the Netherlands for three years or more with a valid residence permit.
Parental requirements deem it necessary.
You have cumulatively lived in the Netherlands for at least 10 years legally (the final two years need to be continuously living in the country).
Can I be a dual national in the Netherlands?
This is a controversial one because, for most people, you can’t. This means that you need to give up your nationality in order to become Dutch (a big and sometimes risky move).
Once you renounce your nationality, you need to submit an application and declaration — signifying leaving your country and entering another.
Becoming a dual citizen in the Netherlands is not as easy as in other countries. Image: Depositphotos.
However, there are exceptions to this rule, and you must declare and prove them during your application. You can be a dual national if:
You are not allowed to give up your nationality in your home country.
You are officially registered as a refugee.
You are the married/registered partner of a Dutch citizen.
It’s impossible to contact the authorities in your home country.
You cannot revoke your nationality for a special reason — but this needs to be accepted.
If your nationality is not recognized in the Netherlands.
If you will lose important rights in your country if you were to give up your nationality.
If you were born in the Netherlands or Dutch Caribbean and you’re still currently residing there.
If you have to complete military service to give up your nationality.
If you have to pay a considerable amount of money to give up your nationality.
So what do I get out of becoming Dutch?
It’s probably best to read this bit several times over and see if it’s worth it 😉 — although we can’t promise once you’ve transitioned that you’ll be any more knowledgeable on cheese and bikes.
Anyway, once you are a Dutch citizen, you gain these rights:
A Dutch passport;
Ability to vote in all Dutch elections and stand for election too;
Your children can become Dutch citizens;
EU citizenship — freedom to travel and live in the EU (good for you Brits);
You can vote for the European Parliament;
Enter and travel throughout the Netherlands freely.
Holders of a Dutch passport may freely live and travel anywhere in the Schengen zone. Image: Depositphotos.
What is the application process for getting Dutch citizenship?
Fair warning: to get that snazzy Dutch passport, it can take up to a year. Here’s how it goes:
You need to visit your gemeente (municipality) if you want to apply for Dutch citizenship. There is a fee for submitting this application (€970 for citizenship by naturalisation in 2023, with some discounts available).
Your application will then be reviewed, and if all is well, it will be given to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). You will need the usual valid documents, such as a passport, residence permit, birth certificate and Civic Integration Exam certificate to apply.
If all goes to plan, you will be sent a confirmation in the post and an invite to your citizenship ceremony (compulsory).
After this, you can officially apply for a Dutch passport.
If things don’t go to plan (sorry to hear that), you will also receive a letter saying why. You can reject the decision if you have a strong case.
Nah thanks, can I just have permanent residency in the Netherlands instead?
Of course you can. Not everyone wants to give up their nationality and in those cases, a permanent residency is a great option.
This means that you can stay in the Netherlands indefinitely, however, you cannot vote in Dutch elections (apart from municipal elections),
However, this can be revoked if you spend too long outside of the Netherlands and you need to renew your permanent residency every five years.
Are you applying for Dutch citizenship? Or have you already completed the process? Tell us your experience in the comments below! Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in March 2018 and was fully updated for your reading pleasure in January 2023.
