Dutch parliament and government on MH17
This post will provide info on the actions of the Dutch parliament regarding MH17.
At October 15 the Foreign affairs commission (Commissie Buitenlandse zaken) had a three hours Algemeen Overleg (general meeting) with a couple of reponsible ministers on MH17. Timmermans of Foreign Affairs, Hennis of Defense and Opstelten of Security & Justice department.
In advance a couple of questions were asked. I will link to those later.
The ministers answered some questions but the time was too short to answer them all.
A detailed transcript of this meeting can be found here.
New questions were asked by Omtzigt and Sjoedsma.
Also almost all opposition parties asked new questions.
At October 2o the Dutch government answered question.
Vragen van het lid Omtzigt (CDA) aan de Ministers van Buitenlandse Zaken en van Veiligheid en Justitie over de onderzoeken naar de aanslag op de MH17 (ingezonden 7 oktober 2014).
Antwoord van de Ministers Opstelten (Veiligheid en Justitie) en Timmermans (Buitenlandse Zaken) (ontvangen 15 oktober 2014)
The answers are here.
At October 28 the Dutch government answered the remaining questions. They can be found here.
At november 12 Government answered questions: Antwoord op vragen van de leden Sjoerdsma, Omtzigt, Voordewind, Van Ojik en Bontes over Satellietbeelden/MH17
At November 13 a second Algemeen Overleg was held. More information is here. The transcipt is here.
At January 05 new questions were asked by Pieter Omtzigt and Sjoerd Sjoerdsma. Some questions have been asked three times without getting a question. New questions are on the knowledge of the Netherland that an aircraft was shot down by an air to air missile at July 14. Read the questions here
The answers to the questions above were answered in the document with id 2015D00269. They were answered at 23:15 on a Thursday.
At January 9 the fouth round of questions were asked by Pieter Omtzigt and Sjoerd Sjoerdsma. The questions are here. Here are the questions as well on the official Tweede Kamer website.
at January 9. Questions on MH17 and why the Dutch government did not warn airlines.
At January 13 member of Parliament Omtzigt and Sjoerdsma asked the Tweede Kamer for a general debat (plenair debat) in the Tweede Kamer. This debate is held in the large house of parliament and gets the best exposure as all members of Parliament can attend. However the coalition voted against this request. So a third Algemeen Overleg of the Commissie Buitenlandse Zaken will be planned for March.
At January 16 the Tweede Kamers asks in total 87 questions to be answered by the government. Lijst feitelijke vragen cie. BuZa over stand van zaken brief MH17 d.d. 18 december 2014 (Kamerstuk 33997, nr. 26)
So far there has NOT been a debate on MH17 in the Tweede Kamer (Plenary debate)
The date for the third Algemeen Overleg Commissie Buitenlandse Zaken on MH17 has been set for February 5, 18:00 – 22:00
At January 23 PM Rutte says that he will not release the information given by the vice ambassador of the Dutch state in Kiev to the government about the July 14 briefing.
At January 24 member of Parliament Bontes sends in a couple of questions about not releasing information.
At February 3 the Dutch government publishes the answers to questions of Omtzigt and Sjoerdma.
At February 5 the Commissie Buitenlandse Zaken has it third debat on MH17.
At March 6 member of parliament Pieter Omtzigt again asks questions to the Dutch government. Many questions are on Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN) and Special Alert Messages, (luchtvaartnieuws)
At March 16 there is a small plenar debat. The topic is not MH17 but Pieter Omtzigt ask s questions to PM Rutte about the briefing in Kiev and why the government does not want to release info on what was said during that briefing. PM Rutte did not want to anwer the question even asked for 11 times.
Full report on GeenStijl.
At March 17 the Dutch parliament agreed a proposal of Pieter Omtzigt which demands the Dutch Government to request Russia and Ukraine if they provide amnesty for persons who commited war crimes in Donbass. More info here.
At a plenair debat at April 2 PM Rutte told about the amnesty for persons who are responsible for the downing of MH17. Lots of technical talk about the Minsk I en Minsk II agreements (transcript here)
At April 4 the Dutch radio program Argos publishes the content of the memo which covers the meeting in Kiev. It says the Dutch government knew about SAM in East Ukraine.
Louis Bontes of political party Voor Nederland asks Kamervragen.
At April 7 minister Koenders of Foreign Affairs is not able to attend the weekly debate in the Tweede Kamer. Member of Parliament Omtizgt wanted to ask questions about the leaked memo of the Dutch embassy in Kiev. The memo said the Antonov was downed by Russian Forces or Russian equipment. The Dutch government said there was a possibility heavy weapons were in the area. Oral questions were not allowed to be asked today. So Omtzigt filed written questions.
At April 7 member of Parliament de Roon (PVV) request a plenair debate on MH17 which the Tweede Kamer agrees on. MP Rutte and Minister of Foreign affairs Koenders will attend the debate. Date not known yet. GeenStijl has a post about it
Also at April 7 de Tweede Kamer requests a ‘stand van zaken brief’ on MH17. A full transcript is available here.
At April 14 new questions are asked by CDA and D66. See here.
The date for a plenary debat on MH17 has been set for April 22 in the evening.
At April 23 the Dutch government sent a letter to the Parliament explaining why they sent the report of the Kiev meeting only after the DSB requested the report.
At July 9 Member of Parliament Pieter Omtzigt asks questions to minister van der Steur about George Maat (here)
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