February 17, 2007 - 14:59 AMT
Dutch party wants to ban Turks from Cabinet
The Dutch anti-immigration Party for Freedom (PVV) on Thursday called for politicians with dual nationality, including Nebahat Albayrak who also has Turkish citizenship, to be banned from being members of Parliament or the Cabinet, reports the Turkish Daily news. Politicians holding dual nationality might serve foreign interests instead of Dutch interests, PVV deputy Sietse Fritsma said in a proposed amendment to existing laws on citizenship, published on the party's Web site. "When, for example, the Armenian Genocide is being discussed, we suddenly see some [politicians with double nationality] talking with two hats or shamelessly defending the Turkish point of view," he wrote. "It is unacceptable that serving foreign interests is possible by [Dutch] Cabinet members," added he. Two politicians set to join the Cabinet, Nebahat Albayrak and Ahmed Aboutaleb, have Turkish and Moroccan passports respectively in addition to their Dutch passports, according to Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad. Albayrak is a member of parliament, while Aboutaleb is an Amsterdam city councilor.