"We'll have to deliver," Deputy PM says after difficult week for PVV Ministers
The PVV Ministers in the Schoof I Cabinet have a rough week behind them, facing setback after setback. But according to PVV Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Fleur Agema, it is too soon to say the far-right party is not living up to its election promises. “Of course, we will have to deliver. That is our mission,” she said on the television program Buitenhof.
This past week, parliament scrapped Asylum Minister Marjolein Faber’s plan to place “we’re working on sending you back” signs at asylum centers, Development Aid Minister Reinette Klever’s plan to cut funding for the aid organization UNWRA, and Economic Affairs Minister Dirk Beljaart’s plan not to allow PostNL an extra day to deliver the mail.
Agema herself also had to acknowledge that she couldn’t guarantee that the Zuyderland hospital in Heerlen would remain fully open - her party’s major election promise.
“We will certainly experience setbacks, but we will just keep going,” Agema said in response to presenter Twan Huys’ question about the PVV Ministers’ challenging week. “We know the big problems and we want to solve them.”
About the Zuyderland Hospital, which may have to close its emergency room due to staff shortages, Agema said she had a “good conversation” but there is little she can do because there are too few people to keep the hospital fully operational. “It is very sad for the people who live there. There are too few staff.”
Agema also again said she regretted vaguely threatening statements she made on Friday about the Eerste Kamer, the Dutch Senate, and rejecting plans to declare an asylum crisis with the state emergency law. On Friday she said: “If the state emergency law comes into effect, I would like to see who is brave enough to stop it.”
Agema retracted the statement later in the day after Prime Minister Dick Schoof called it an “unfortunate statement.” On Sunday, Agema said on Buitenhof: “I have the greatest possible admiration for both the Senate and parliament. I should not have done that.”
