Open brief aan Poolse Europarlementariër Jacek Saryusz-Wolski over het PVV-meldpunt (en) - Hoofdinhoud

Dear Jacek,

As you know, I have distanced my self directly from this vulgar PVV website and have called it sigmatizing and polarizing. The same did VVD Group in the House of Representatives in the Netherlands. Together with ALDE Group leader Guy Verhofstadt and D66 colleague Sophie in 't Veld I have issued a clear statement denouncing the website. So you know that VVD is strongly against this PVV website.

There is no doubt about that. As MP, I have taken the initiative to give the highest Dutch decoration to the late General Sosabowski and the Polish forces which participated in the liberation of the Netherlands in WWII and I was responsible for the VVD programme for co-operation with Central and Eastern Europe in the 1990s and contributed to the positive vote in Dutch Parliament for Polish entry in the EU and that of other Central and Eastern European countries. To call for a boycot of Dutch products is not only counter productive but is an unfriendly measure which goes against the EU treaties and the spirit of European co-operation. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will speak with EP President Martin Schulz on March 1st. Let us see what they conclude. I would ask you to halt any action against the Netherlands because as MEPs we should not copy populist parties.

With all due respect and open to meet you and your colleague Valentin Bodu, I remain, yours sincerely,

Hans van Baalen MEP (ALDE)

leader of the VVD delegation in the European Parliament