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No sanctions for oligarchs: Dutch banks safekeeping billions of Russian assets 

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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No sanctions for oligarchs: Dutch banks safekeeping billions of Russian assets 

The Central Bank of the Netherlands (De Nederlandsche Bank) has €80 billion worth of Russian assets, yet has only frozen about €200 million of these assets under the new sanctions — beetje raar toch? (bit weird right?) 🤔

What’s really worth mentioning is that €45 billion of these Russian assets belong to organisations and people on the European blacklist, says recent research done by Het Financieele Dagblad (FD). 

What’s happening?

Let’s get down to business. 🤓 More than half of these Russian assets can be traced back to 14 alleged oligarchs and organisations such as the banks Sogaz, VTB Bank, Bank Rossiya and Gazprombank, reports NU.nl. 

In comparison to other countries, the Netherlands’ action when it comes to freezing Russian assets is relatively low.

According to NBC News, Germany has already frozen about €50 billion of their Russian assets and France around €64 billion. It seems like the Dutch didn’t get the memo. 🤭

Why is this happening? 

The Dutch government hasn’t necessarily fallen victim to Russian oligarchs but has been actively taking in these assets since before Putin’s attack on Ukraine. 

READ MORE | The Netherlands is a top-three tax haven for multinationals and the super-rich

Sanctions lawyer, Yvo Amar, spoke with the Het Financieele Dagblad (FD) and explained that he expected a much stronger reaction from the Dutch banks against Russia — the Dutch really can’t take a hint, eh? 😳

How do you feel about the Dutch reaction toward these sanctions against Russia? Tell us in the comments.

More wind energy for the Netherlands: cabinet to double offshore wind turbines

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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More wind energy for the Netherlands: cabinet to double offshore wind turbines

The Dutch government is planning on expanding the North Sea wind farms by adding between 750 and 800 wind turbines. This would increase the current amount of power generated by wind by 100%! 🤯 

The aim is that the turbines generate 10.7 additional gigawatts of power by 2030, reports the NOS.

To give you an idea of what this number means, one gigawatt is enough to power one million Dutch households. The newly generated energy will, however, be mainly used to make industries in the Netherlands greener.

The new turbines will be installed north of the Wadden Islands and off the coast of South and North Holland.

The Netherlands currently already has wind farms near IJmuiden and Egmond, as well as off the coast of Zeeland.

So who’s funding this?

A project of such scale obviously requires some cash — and the cabinet has already set aside 35 billion euros for it, according to RTL Nieuws. 

The money comes from the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development which is specifically dedicated to supporting the country’s efforts to combat climate change. 

Climate goals 

It’s no secret that sustainability is a priority for Dutchies — and expanding the North Sea wind farms has been on the table for some time now.

READ MORE | Climate action or you’re going to court: Milieudefensie tells Dutch companies

At the end of 2021, the Dutch coalition agreement highlighted the goal to become climate neutral by 2050. Focusing on renewable energy sources is part of the solution — ideal for wind turbines!

Do you think this is a good way for the Dutch government to meet their sustainable goals? Tell us in the comments!

Gelukkig! The Dutch rank as the fifth happiest nation in the world

Cara Räker 🇩🇪
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Gelukkig! The Dutch rank as the fifth happiest nation in the world

The UN’s 2022 World Happiness Report has made it official — Dutchies rank as the fifth happiest nation in the world out of 146 countries surveyed! 🤗

Who’s topping the list? For the fifth year in a row, Finland has secured first place as the happiest country in the world, reports De Volkskrant.

😷 Pandemic has left its mark

The Netherlands moved up one spot from #6 to #5 compared to the World’s Happiness Ranking for 2021.

During the onset of the pandemic, trust in the government and social support were ranked very positively by the Dutch overall. This trend continues into 2022.

However, there is a bit of a happiness gap between the young and the old here in the lowlands. While Dutchies over 60 became a little happier over the past year, the younger generation experienced the exact opposite. 🙇‍♂️

Well, we hope with the scrapping of all coronavirus measures in the Netherlands by next week, we’ll all reach the same level of content once again!

☀️ The 2022 World Happiness Report

The UN’s 2022 World Happiness Report bases the ranking on six variables: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.

Representatives from 146 countries were given a survey with a set of questions that they had to answer on a scale from one to ten.

The combined evaluation of all surveys for each country then made up the ranking. 📊

Curious about the top 10 happiest nations in the world? We’ve got you:

  • 🇫🇮 Finland #1
  • 🇩🇰 Denmark #2
  • 🇮🇸 Iceland #3
  • 🇨🇭 Switzerland #4
  • 🇳🇱 The Netherlands #5
  • 🇱🇺 Luxembourg #6
  • 🇸🇪 Sweden #7
  • 🇳🇴 Norway #8
  • 🇮🇱 Israel #9
  • 🇳🇿 New Zealand #10

Switzerland we’re coming for you! (Anyone else notices that all the happiest nations in the world have very similar flags? 🤔)

Did you expect the Netherlands to rank at place #5? Tell us in the comments!

Terrace time: sunny weather streak continues in the Netherlands

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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Terrace time: sunny weather streak continues in the Netherlands

The last few days have been getting warmer and that means one thing — spring is finally making its comeback to the lowlands! 

What’s even better? The Netherlands will continue to bless us with more sunshine! ☀️ 

Temperatures are on the rise and will average out between 17 and 18 degrees next week, reports RTL Nieuws. While the nights will remain cold, the days will be generously sunny. 

We can also look forward to nearly rain-free days — only a few drops can be expected. Time to take advantage of the outdoors while you can and get a bit of a tan! Beetje bruin worden? 😎

Terrace season is here 

These high(ish) temperatures will hit the weekend as well, with little to no wind! You know what that means: perfect time to enjoy a koffie or a biertje on a terrace. ☕️

We wish you extra luck in finding a seat though. After all, we all know what these terraces look like when there’s no wind, no rain, and no clouds. 😉

Are you planning on doing anything special with the upcoming sunny days? Tell us in the comments!

No more work permit requirement for Ukrainian refugees

Jana Vondráčková 🇨🇿
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No more work permit requirement for Ukrainian refugees

Good news! Ukrainian war refugees will no longer need a work permit to get a job in the Netherlands.

This work permit exception will come into effect on April 1 and will make it easier for Dutch employers to hire Ukrainians looking for a job, reports RTL Nieuws.

Hiring non-EU nationals

Under normal circumstances, a Dutch employer would have to go through a whole series of steps to be able to hire someone from outside the EU or Switzerland, including applying for a visa for the potential employee.

Hiring a non-EU/non-Swiss national would also require the employer to prove that they couldn’t find a suitable candidate on the Dutch and European labour market through a so-called ‘labour market test’.

Sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare? That’s because it is. These rules make it pretty much impossible to hire someone from outside the EU/Switzerland who doesn’t count as, for example, a highly skilled migrant.

No more paperwork

The work permit exception is great news for the many Ukrainians fleeing the war. “I want to work. I don’t want to sit on the couch all day and watch my country being destroyed,” Ela Lochalowa tells RTL Nieuws.

What do you think of the government’s decision? Let us know in the comments!

The Netherlands might have no more sunflower oil in four weeks

Cara Räker 🇩🇪
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The Netherlands might have no more sunflower oil in four weeks

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has all kinds of effects on the Netherlands. Rising energy prices, incoming refugees… and no more sunflower oil? 🌻

Yes, you read that right. The Dutch Food Industry Federation (FNLI) says that Dutch sunflower oil stocks will run out in four to six weeks, reports RTL Nieuws.

Translation: “I hope that we still have stocks from 2020, because sunflower oil really works as a laxative.”

Dutch sunflower oil comes from Ukraine

About two-thirds of Dutch sunflower oil is sourced from Ukraine. Because the ongoing war has stalled production, the Netherlands is now desperately looking to find a replacement.

How else will the Dutch cuisine survive if not without the sunflower oil that fries up bitterballen, frietjes, and kibbeling?

A problem for the Dutch

Jokes aside, the lack of sunflower oil poses a serious problem for many.

The owner of the snack bistro ‘t Hout in Helmond, Wilco van Seccelen, says that he has to raise the prices for his fries because of sunflower oil scarcity from €2.50 to €3.

The soaring energy prices are also an issue, Van Seccelen tells RTL Nieuws. “Last year around this time I would pay about €1,200 per month. Yesterday I got a bill for about €4,000. That’s not manageable.”

Have you noticed that sunflower oil is hard to get these days? Tell us in the comments!

Russian prima ballerina transfers to the National Ballet in Amsterdam

Katrien Nivera 🇵🇭
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Russian prima ballerina transfers to the National Ballet in Amsterdam

Olga Smirnova, prima ballerina of the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, transferred to the National Ballet in Amsterdam this month. 🩰

Smirnova spoke out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, making it difficult for her to stay in Russia, says the NOS.

Welcomed with open arms

Smirnova said she wanted to switch to Amsterdam for some time but the circumstances sped up the process. 💨

READ MORE | Here’s how you can help Ukraine from the Netherlands

A spokesperson for the National Ballet clarified that there hadn’t been any discussions for Smirnova to make this switch, but once she sent the request, the National Ballet arranged everything very quickly.

Even with a normal application, the company said they would hire Smirnova almost immediately. In a statement, National Ballet director Ted Brandsen said he was happy to have the ballerina in the company but was sad to hear the circumstances she was under.

Smirnova will perform in the ballet classic Raymonda, which premiers April 3, 2022.

Not the only case

And Olga Smirnova is not the only ballet dancer on her way out from Russia. A 22-year-old Brazillian ballet dancer, Victor Caixeta, joined the National Ballet.

He was the second soloist in Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg but also decided to leave Russia under similar circumstances.

Will you be seeing these two ballet dancers in the National Ballet? Tell us in the comments!

Feature Image: 99.media/Wikimedia Commons/Public domain

Remains of Roman ship found during road construction in South-Holland

Cara Räker 🇩🇪
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Remains of Roman ship found during road construction in South-Holland

In February, roadworkers made a special discovery close to the Dutch city Valkenburg: the century-old remains of a Roman ship.

The recovered wooden oak planks may date back to the first century A.D. They probably belonged to a Roman cargo ship with a length of about 30 metres, reports the NOS.

“A special archaeological discovery made in the lower planes of the Tjalmaweg: during excavation work in February, a few oak planks from a ship’s belly have been found. “

A peculiar find

The leading archaeologist René Isarin speaks of a rare — and peculiar — find for the region South-Holland. “We have heard a lot about [Roman] pottery and metals, but Roman ships are not found that often.”

Another peculiarity is the method of construction. The style seems to be Mediterranean but oak is a much more common building material for North-Western Europe.

Isarin also says that the planks link to the so-called mortise technique (pen-gat-techniek) that is entirely untypical for Roman shipbuilding: “Most ships from Roman times have nails and rivets.”

Looks like we’ve got ourselves a mystery, Watson. 🕵️

How do you think this Roman ship made its way to the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments!

Historically low turnout in Dutch municipal elections 2022

Katrien Nivera 🇵🇭
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Historically low turnout in Dutch municipal elections 2022

Last night, the Netherlands held its municipal elections to elect the local municipal councils ⁠— with some…interesting results.

This year, just barely 50% of voters showed up to the polls, compared to 54% of eligible voters who cast their ballots in 2018, says RTL Nieuws.

A dip in turnout

In the past three previous municipal elections, voter turnout varied around 55% (2010, 2014, and 2018). 🗳

The 2022 municipal elections suffered a pretty big drop in turnout but no one is sure why. One theory is that the focus on the Ukraine war might have undermined election campaigns.

The Minister of Internal Affairs is already looking to investigate the causes. 🕵🏻

Local parties dominate

Local parties in municipalities come out on top this year! A whopping 36.4% of all votes went to support local parties in municipalities across the country.

While local parties tend to be successful in municipal elections, it seems they have grown even stronger this election year. 💪🏼

Local parties in Den Haag and Rotterdam won the most votes. Cities in all corners of the Netherlands including Maastricht, Delft, Vlissingen, and the Wadden Islands also voted local parties to the top. 🔝

A blow to national parties

The country’s governing party VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) and party-in-crime CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal) are the largest national parties coming out of the election, despite losing votes overall.

In 2018, both parties received 13% of votes — but they only gained 11% each this year around.

“‘A picture says a thousand words’, nothing beats Groningen.”

The other parties in the national government, Christian Union and D66 (Democrats 66) also lost votes.

The SP (Socialist Party) was also a big loser in these elections — the party lost ground in most major cities and also in the traditional “red stronghold” province Groningen. 🔴

But on the brighter side, other left-wing parties like PvdA and GroenLinks fared well in most municipalities.

PvdA made an especially big win as they gained four seats in Amsterdam out of a total of nine. They tied with GroenLinks, who lost one seat in these elections. 🟢

Did you vote in the municipal elections 2022? Were they what you expected? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

BREAKING: Dutch ‘Virus Truth’ leader Willem Engel arrested for incitement

Cara Räker 🇩🇪
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BREAKING: Dutch ‘Virus Truth’ leader Willem Engel arrested for incitement

The face of the Dutch anti-coronavirus measure movement Willem Engel has been arrested in Rotterdam.

Engel is suspected to have posted coronavirus-related messages on social media that promote civil unrest, reports the NOS.

Note: This tweet has been published by a supporter of Engels. It reads: “Welcome in the police state of the Netherlands. When people criticise the system they are being arrested.”

Who is Willem Engel?

Willem Engel is the leader of the Dutch ‘Virus Truth’ (viruswaarheid) movement that advocates against governmental coronavirus measures.

Not to mention, Engel is a staunch supporter of Russian President Putin and its invasion of Ukraine.

The Dutch public prosecution office already incited an investigation against Engel in January based on a petition signed by 22,000 individuals.

The petition raised concerns that Engel was involved in calls to civil unrest, the spreading of medical misinformation and posed a high potential to commit terrorist acts.

Have you heard of Willem Engel? Tell us in the comments!

Feature Image: Vocast/Wikicommons/Public Domain

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