The Ministry of Defense is ordering an investigation into abuses in the armed forces, State Secretary Barbara Visser said in a letter to parliament. Reports were received about inadmissible behavior at training institutes as well as another defense department, she said, NOS reports.
Barbara Visser
Nov 26 '18 10:00
Amsterday mayor Femke Halsema must enforce the ban on face-covering clothing, commonly referred to as the burka ban, in the Dutch capital, State Secretary Barbara Visser of Defense said on WNL on Sunday. "No one is above the law", Visser said. "Including the mayor of Amsterdam."
Oct 15 '18 16:50
The social security at the Ministry of Defense is inadequate, concluded a committee that investigated the barracks in Schaarsbergen after soldiers who were stationed there reported being abused and sexually assaulted. Because of the closed culture at the Ministry, people are not easily inclined to report such abuses, the researchers said, NU.nl reports.
Sep 26 '18 14:10
Defense made mistakes in acquiring winter clothing for soldiers who will participate in a NATO mission in Norway next month. As a result, the soldiers are forced to buy their own clothing for the mission in a terrain where temperatures can drop to -20 degrees. The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, is furious, NU.nl reports.
Jun 4 '18 16:20
On Monday State Secretary Barbara Visser of Defense apologized for the fact that Defense employees were insufficiently protected against the health consequences of working with carcinogenic chromium 6 in the period 1984 to 2006. "Defense has failed", she said while presenting the results of a major investigation by the RIVM. "I am sorry.", NOS repots.
Feb 12 '18 13:50
The family of a military sergeant killed in an accident during a shooting drill in Ossendrecht two years ago, submitted a damage claim to the Ministry of Defense. The family is claiming damage caused by loss of income as well as emotional damage, lawyer Michael Ruperti said to ANP.
The lawyer would not comment on the amount involved in the claim. Defense has until March 1st to respond, or a lawsuit will be filed.
Jan 22 '18 16:40
The question of whether or not to bring the children of Dutch rebel fighters in the Syrian civil war back to the Netherlands, has the government parties divided. Doing so was proposed by the D66 and ChristenUnie, but the VVD is vehemently against it. What fourth government party, the CDA, thinks about this, is not yet clear, NOS reports.
"Before you know it, the parents will come too", VVD parliamentarian Barbara Visser said on Twitter. "The VVD chooses for the safety and freedom of the children in the Netherlands!"
Dec 19 '17 07:43
The Netherlands' Airmobile Brigade canceled a controversial hazing ritual last week after questions from Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld and State Secretary Barbara Visser, the Telegraaf reports
While visiting the Brigade on Wednesday last week, Visser asked about the so-called 'tiger test' that was planned for that night. The tiger test is a hazing ritual for the Charlie- or Tiger company that involves the consumption of alcohol to turn 'cubs' into 'tigers', according to the newspaper.
Nov 30 '17 12:00
Due to the high dollar rate, the Ministry of Defense may not have enough money to buy the last three of the 37 Joint Strike Fighter jets the government plans to purchase, State Secretary Barbara Visser of Defense wrote in a letter to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, ANP reports.
Nov 2 '17 14:50
State Secretary Barbara Visser of Defense calls on victims of abuses in the Dutch armed forces to come forward, following a report in the Volkskrant about three soldiers who left their unit in Schaarsbergen after being assaulted, bullied, abused and even raped. "Unacceptable. I read the article and had chills. This is not worthy of Defense", the State Secretary said to ANP.
Oct 23 '17 12:00
The names of the Rutte III cabinet's Ministers and State Secretaries were announced on Saturday. In addition to Prime Minster Mark Rutte, there wil be 15 Ministers and eight State Secretaries. Just over a third of the new government are women. The expectation is that the Rutte III cabinet will take office on October 26th, RTL Nieuws reports.
Apr 5 '16 12:20
Documentary festival IDFA founder and director Ally Derks announced her resignation, effective November next year. She will be working for the Robert Bosch Foundation in Berlin for a year.
Dec 18 '15 10:56
The municipalities of Utrecht and Rotterdam plan to keep the environmental zones banning old diesel cars from their city centers, despite a parliamentary majority wanting the bans lifted.
Dec 8 '15 09:29
The VVD and PvdA are pressuring Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen of Infrastructure and Environment to ban scooters and mopeds on bike paths
Mar 16 '15 14:06
Coalition parties VVD and PvdA are pushing for the alcohol lock for chronic drunk drivers after the hit-and-run accident that left a one month old baby dead in Lutten last week.
Dec 30 '14 11:44
A call from the Association of Road Traffic Victims to install a black box in every car, is getting a huge amount of support on the internet. More than 25 thousand people have signed a petition for this. The association wants the black box installed so that perpetrators of serious accidents can not "get away with community service".
Sep 25 '14 13:48
A majority in the Second Chamber does not want to give Amsterdam the opportunity to introduce a compulsory helmet law for scooters.
