Dutch Queen Beatrix's annual Christmas speeches to the Nation are heavily censored, says theologian and poet Huub Oosterhuis, who is a friend of the Queen. Oosterhuis expressed concern in the popular television program Blue Blood that in her 2010 Christmas speech, the Queen had voiced concern about today's social polarization and political tensions in Dutch society, but was stopped from being more explicit by Geert Wilders' chairman of the anti-Islam PVV 'Freedom Party'.
The interview in the program 'Blue Blood' took place after Mr Oosterhuis and the Queen jointly opened a new multi-religious and cultural center in Amsterdam.
Mr Oosterhuis described the Queen as "a kindred spirit, regarding concern, civility, solidarity, respect and tolerance. That is what her speeches are about, unfortunately that is also what the present Dutch right-wing cabinet objected to, in particular the PVV of Wilders", he added.
When asked a spokeswoman for the Government Information Service declined to comment on Mr Oosterhuis' allegations.
EU-Digest
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