Amsterdam needs years to get finances in shape, says alderman

It will take years for Amsterdam to get its financial affairs in order, according to Finance alderman Udo Kock. "In two years, at the end of the college period, the basics at least have to be in order", Kock said to AT5. The municipality plans to implement almost all recommendations the committee of inquiry made in a report on the municipality's financial position, which came out about a month ago. Doing so will take even longer than two years. According to Kock, a difficult part of the problem is the culture within the civil service, in which "a deal is a deal" does not always apply. "Cultural change is not something you realize within moments via a check list. It is a very tough process. Amsterdam has as a somewhat loose culture, a lot of fun when you sit in the tram, but not something you want to manage a 6.5 billion euros budget with. That simply has to change."