Parliament to debate terrorism Wednesday

The parliament is debating with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and several ministers on Wednesday about the terrorist attacks in Paris last week. The factions want to hear the Dutch government's views on the event and the readiness level to prevent and deal with such attacks in the Netherlands. Some VVD parliamentarians think that the officers who are active in terrorist monitoring should be armed better, in line with a proposal issued by the Dutch police officer's union yesterday. The conservative party is also calling on one of their own, Justice MInister Ivo Opstelten, to move as quickly as possible in strengthening the fight against terrorism. Opposition parties D66 and ChristenUnie want to know if the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) has enough money to perform all its tasks after the AIVD's annual budget was cut by almost €9 million. Minister Opstelten, Deputy Prime Minister and Social Affairs Minister Lodewijk Asscher and Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk are also taking part in the debate. Anti-Islamist Geert Wilders, leader of the PVV, also stated that the government is not doing enough to stop the terror threat from radical Muslims.