No fewer than 3,375 people received a royal distinction during this year’s “lintjesregen,” the ribbon ceremony to honor volunteers and others who contribute to Dutch society traditionally held the day before the monarch’s birthday. That is the highest number since 2012, under the then Queen Beatrix. King Willem-Alexander has never awarded so many knighthoods and royal house memberships.
Nearly one in six Ukrainian refugees are not participating in an education program in the Netherlands and also do not have a job. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) said it concerns about 17 percent of the refugees between 4 and 23 years old.Roughly one-third of those between 18 and 22 are unemployed and not enrolled in a study. The data from October was analyzed and released as part of a new report from the statistics bureau on Thursday.
Tourists who stay overnight in a hotel in the Netherlands will pay an average of 2.34 euros in tourist tax per person per night this year. That is more than 8 percent higher than in 2023. Amsterdam once again has the highest tourist tax of 16.76 euros per person per night.
The border crossing to Belgium, the A67 near Eersel, is still closed due to protesting farmers, according to an ANWB spokesperson. However, the A16 at Hazeldonk is open again, the ANWB reported. Earlier, the Markiezaat junction (A4) had also been reopened. Belgian farmers have been blocking the border crossing since Thursday night in protest against the Green Deal and because they are dissatisfied with the European fertilizer regulations. Dutch farmers have also joined the protests.
The Eerste Kamer, the Dutch Senate, will vote on the asylum distribution law on Monday. The bill, which allows the government to force municipalities to take in a fair share of asylum seekers, will likely pass since the VVD Senators decided to go against their party leadership’s line and throw their support behind the law. Some municipalities have already said they will ignore the law if it is implemented.