Tackle Russian interests in Amsterdam, left-wing parties demand

The Cabinet must tackle Russian financial interests that run through the Amsterdam Zuidas. The PvdA, GroenLinks, SP, and PvdD will argue for this in parliament on Monday.

The left-wing opposition parties support economic sanctions imposed by the west against Russia, they said. But they wonder whether more could be done to economically isolate Russia, especially with companies associated with or located in the Zuidas. "Our Zuidas can no longer serve as a safe haven for corrupt Russian money," said PvdA parliamentarian Kati Piri. "We need to identify and confiscate the money."

GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver also wants the Cabinet to do more to freeze Russian oligarchs' assets. "Money that flows through the Zuidas, handle it." Klaver also called for a total international boycott of Russian gas and oil. "It is unpalatable that 600 million euros still flow to Russia every day. We have to stop that." He acknowledged that this would have "unprecedented consequences for gas and energy prices. Not only in the Netherlands. But we have to do it."

SP parliamentarian Jasper van Dijk supports "effective sanctions" but wants them to affect the Russian people as little as possible. "And are the Russian companies in the Zuidas being tackled?" he also asked the Cabinet.

Like GroenLinks, party for the animals PvdD also believes that Russia's options to earn from oil and gas should be limited. Because Russian President Vladimir Putin finances his war machine with oil and gas, according to MP Christine Teunissen. In addition, according to her, the Cabinet must take measures to get off Russian gas so that it is less easy to blackmail the Netherlands with.