VNL: Make refugees work for their asylum

VNL party leader Bram Moszkowicz is calling for the government to implement programs were asylum seekers have to perform manual labour in exchange for being granted refugee status. Moszkowicz, the disbarred former attorney of anti-Islam PVV party leader Geert Wilders, suggested work programs for refugees like a park, ditch and garden cleaning service, reported AD. Moszkowicz hopes that the proposal is viewed as a "deterrent measure" for potential refugees. The AD noted criticism over the proposal, calling it blackmail and forced labour. The VNL responded, “They are not trapped here, they can leave.” Moszkowitz also said that if they do not like it they are free to leave for another country. The VNL thinks that the proposal will help reduce the number of incidents in shelters that he said may be occasionally caused because of boredom. The recently-launched VNL party is currently not represented in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. Polling data released on October 4 suggests the party would pick up one seat if elections were held this week.