The VVD and PvdA's squabble over increasing teachers' salaries in the budget for next year, has the teachers themselves furious. According to primary school teacher action group PO in Actie, the parties are playing "political games" with their livelihoods and more protest actions will follow this fall, Thijs Roovers of the group said to RTL Nieuws.
Budget
Aug 10 '17 11:50
The VVD and PvdA are butting heads over teacher salaries. The PvdA stated that they will not sign next year's budget if it doesn't contain higher wages for teachers. The VVD is digging in their heels, according to the Telegraaf.
With government formation talks between the VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie still ongoing, and with no end in sight, it is up to the departing VVD-PvdA government to come up with the 2018 budget.
Oct 31 '16 10:10
The four Technical Universities in the Netherlands needs more money to cope with the influx of students, student organizations at the four universities and intercity student association ISO wrote in an open letter to the responsible ministers, NOS reports.
The letter is addressed to Ministers Jet Bussemaker of Education and Henk Kamp of Economic Affairs, as well as State Secretary Martijn van Dam of Economic Affairs. The Netherlands' four Technical Universities are located in Eindhoven, Delft, Wageningen and Enschede.
Oct 28 '16 11:40
From today there will be no more mediation between offenders and victims in Dutch criminal cases - The Ministry of Security and Justice's money for this part of the legal system is done and running trials have been stopped, Trouw reports. No money is allocated for mediation in 2017.
Oct 5 '16 09:19
The police are in desperate need of more money, according to police union ACP and Hague Mayor Jozias van Aartsen. There is already a massive shortage of community officers, and that shortage will only increase, they said to the Telegraaf.
Sep 20 '16 08:03
For the second year in a row the Dutch government is giving the Budget Day message that the economic crisis is over. But the vast majority of Dutch have seen little or no improvement to their immediate environment, according to a study Ipsos did for NOS.
Jun 16 '16 08:09
Minister Ard van der Steur of Security and Justice is on the defensive again, this time about his Ministry's budget. Opposition parties wants more money to go to the judiciary this year and in parliament the Minister received harsh criticism on his policy, but he is adamant that no extra money is needed.
Jun 14 '16 07:53
The ruling coalition of VVD and PvdA reached an agreement on spending 1.2 billion euros next year on reversing scheduled cuts. The PvdA negotiated for reversing a cutback back on elderly- and disabled care and pushing money into education. The VVD fought for spending money on security by filling holes in the Defense and Security and Justice budgets
Jun 9 '16 12:10
The Ministry of Defense is taking temporary measures in an effort to cut back on spending and achieve a balanced budget. Despite several budget increases over the past years, the Ministry is still spending more than the budget allows.
May 26 '16 08:43
The Public Prosecution Service is running out of money, chief executive prosecutor Herman Bolhaar writes in the Public Prosecutor's annual report. An additional 40 million euros per year is necessary for the Prosecutor just to keep functioning. More will be needed to cope with organized crime, corruption and the rapidly expanding cybercrime
May 16 '16 09:41
The National Police is getting an additional 188 million euros in its budget this year
May 11 '16 13:10
The municipality of Amsterdam closed 2015 with a positive financial result of 27 million euros, according to the annual financial statements the mayor and aldermen presented on Wednesday. The municipality attributes the positive results partly to the improving economy and the city's growth
Apr 20 '16 11:11
With elections only 330 days away, the Dutch coalition of VVD and PvdA are meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss the budget for next year. Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem of Finance will need to find a way to deal with 2.5 billion euro shortfall
Apr 13 '16 10:11
The Netherlands' central agency for asylum seekers COA spent 800 million euros last year to supply the thousands of asylum seekers in the country with a place to sleep, a place to wash and something to eat, the Telegraaf reports based on the COA's financial statements.
Oct 8 '15 19:46
The four largest cities in the Netherlands have officially asked the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, to reconsider their budget plans for welfare benefits. Cities are expected to cover any shortfall in benefits payments due to cuts imposed by the national government, which equates to a 25 million euro cutback in benefit payments to Amsterdam residents alone.
Oct 5 '15 17:40
Cuts to the budget for forensic investigation work is dramatic to the point it may hamper future criminal investigations, and defeat the government’s efforts on security, warns the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI), the police department and the Public Prosecutor in an internal memo acquired by newswire ANP. It is not the first time law enforcement raised concerns about a 13 percent cut to the NFI budget, which will cost nearly 80 jobs.
Oct 5 '15 10:57
Large Dutch municipalities are going to face higher deficits from next year as the national government begins cutting welfare budgets to municipalities. While some experts argue the new budget will encourage cities to get people off benefits, it also means a 25 million euro cut in money disbursed to Amsterdam, equivalent to a 4.6-percent budget slash, the Volkskrant reported on Monday.
Aug 21 '15 08:32
The coalition parties have extra money to spend due to a "relatively easy budget" this year. The VVD and PvdA each have 375 million euros to give away, and they will be pushing it mainly into healthcare and Defense.
May 20 '15 12:56
Spending in healthcare is rising more slowly than expected, reports Volkskrant. Last year, the care cost two billion euros less than planned, mainly as a result of cheaper prescription drugs and declining costs of hospitalization, the paper said.
May 5 '15 13:30
On Saturday the Netherlands and Aruba reached an agreement that aims at achieving a sustainable balanced budget for the island, the Dutch government announced on Monday. This agreement should put an end to the long ongoing discussion and conflict surrounding the island's budget.
Jan 12 '15 14:13
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said it would be very strange if Greece chose to exit the eurozone, and dropped their policy measures meant to get the country’s finances in shape. Calling the proposition “bizarre,” he refused to speculate on a possible Grexit, saying only, “I assume that is not going to happen.”
Dec 13 '14 14:39
Minister of Safety and Justice Ivo Opstelten underestimated the financial implications of the restructure process of the National Police by €200 million. The entire process could reach a total cost of €431 million, according to the police department's Central Works Council (COR).
Sep 17 '14 10:04
Prime Minister Mark Rutte is positive about the budget plans for next year. In an interview with the Algemeen Dagblad, he emphasizes that his Cabinet will have to "stay the course in uncertain times."
Sep 17 '14 09:30
Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert of Defense warns Parliament that the modernization of some of the Ministry's military helicopters will be more expensive than previously thought, Elsevier reports.
