Dutch VVD-PVDA Coalition Government In Deep Trouble After Resignation of Justice Minister, Secretary, in Drug Payoff

Dutch Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten and his state secretary, Fred Teeven, have resigned after "misleading" or as a parliamentarian said "for blowing smoke" to members of parliament over a 2001 compensation payment to a convicted drug trafficker.

Mr Opstelten had said the trafficker was paid less than he actually was for money wrongly confiscated by the state. He also said details of the payment - authorized by Mr Teeven as the prosecutor during that time - had been lost, but it turned not to be so.

The resignations are a blow to the Conservative party as it faces an election.

Mr Opstelten and Mr Teeven are both from the conservative wing of the party which governs the Netherlands together with the labor party, and is faces a challenge from Geert Wilders' far-right Freedom Party in provincial elections this month.

The resignations are also expected to place a strain on the conservatives  coalition with the Labour party, which has been very critical of Mr Opstelten and Mr Teeven.

This tidal wave of political unrest in the VVD-PVDA coalition could very well be"the straw that breaks the camels back" of the Dutch Government..

EU-Digest

The Netherlands: Snow causes major traffic problems, trains and planes cancelled

Heavy snow over much of the country this morning caused serious disruption on the roads and led Dutch Rail (NS) to adapt train services. Some flights from Schiphol airport were also delayed. By 14.30 hours there were 800 km of traffic jams, as the snow moved southwards over the country.

The NS (Dutch Railroad) said it was reducing Sprinter train services for the rest of the day but Intercity trains would continue as normal. By the afternoon the heavy snow led to chaos on the roads and serious disruption to train services, with no rush hour trains to and from Utrecht and Amsterdam.  Up to 14 cm of snow fell in some places, causing serious problems on the roads.

By 16.00 hrs, some 900 accidents on minor and provincial roads had been reported and the ANWB motoring organization urged people in central parts of the country not to drive.

The Dutch KNMI weather channel issued a code orange severe weather warning in western provinces, saying up to 10 cm of additional snow could fall in some places. They said that once the snow has fallen it will remain very cold and dry, with heavy frosts at night. The weekend will again be clear and sunny.  The KNMI expects the cold weather to continue until at least next Friday.

For more: DutchNews.nl - Snow causes major traffic problems, trains and planes cancelled