Opposition parties critical of new Covid measures

Opposition parties in parliament reacted angrily to the new coronavirus measures announced by the caretaker Cabinet. Parliamentarian Wybren van Haga will press charges against the State in Haarlem on Friday because, according to him, there is discrimination and medical apartheid. He was already against the coronavirus access pass and believes that with this expansion, it is time to press charges. According to him, a petition by his party, Belang van Nederland, against "coronavirus discrimination" has already been signed almost 230,000 times.

Parliamentarian Nicki Pouw-Verwij of JA21 reported that her party was and remains against the coronavirus access pass. "It is not negotiable for us to extend this further to work. Working is not a non-committal choice. Denying people their income based on their vaccination status is unacceptable. We will not support extensions of the corona pass. The same applies to gyms and swimming pools. Promoting health by making exercise more difficult. How did you come up with that? Right now, exercise and health should be stimulated," she tweeted. JA21 is happy with the high vaccination rate and believes it is important that everyone takes responsibility.

PVV leader Geert Wilders is also not against vaccination but against the coronavirus access pass. "Stop forcing, pushing, and expanding those terrible corona access passes. Pure false safety. And if only billions more had been invested in more healthcare capacity and nurses instead of asylum seekers!" he tweeted. FvD leader Thierry Baudted said: "Whatever you do: DO NOT BE VACCINATED!"

SP parliamentarian Maarten Hijink said: "You can walk into a catering business as a mystery guest to check that access passes are checked. You can also walk into a community center with a care provider to inform people and convince them to get vaccinated. I would say prevention rather than repression."

DENK believes that the Cabinet is "again fooling" the country. "It was consistently promised that no one would be forced to get vaccinated. And what do we see?" MP Tunahan Kuzu tweeted: "Coronavirus access pass on the terrace? While the risk of contamination in the open air is negligible. I'm over it: have they gone completely crazy?"

MP Jan Paternotte of coalition party D66 disagrees with the criticism. "Many parties are already saying: 'Shame!' I hope to hear a plan from them in the coronavirus debate [on Wednesday] for what they do want." If more measures are needed, the D66's priority is: "Do not hand in freedom again, which we have thanks to the vaccines. Vaccinated people run 33 times less risk of hospitalization. So: retain freedom where necessary by extending the coronavirus access pass."