THE HAGUE: Dutch lawmakers grilled Prime Minister Mark Rutte Wednesday after government published sensitive documents about its controversial plan to scrap dividend tax for companies, which will reportedly cost the country 1.4 billion euros.
Opposition MPs however failed to pass a motion disapproving of the business-friendly Rutte, who stuck to his guns during a marathon nine-hour debate in the 150-seat lower house ending early Thursday.
MPs were outraged after Rutte’s four-party coalition government this week released the confidential papers under pressure about its plans to exempt companies from paying tax on dividends – which government says will attract more investment.
The opposition said they were not informed of government’s plans, which were contained in memos tabled during gruelling behind-the-scenes talks last year to form a coalition government after elections in March.
The MPs added that Rutte and his coalition made the decision to nix dividend tax despite advice to the contrary by experts at the finance ministry in The Hague – which were also contained in the memos.
During a debate in November last year, Rutte told parliamentarians “he had no recollection of having seen any memos” discussing the tax plan during eight months of tough government formation talks.
Last Friday, Rutte however admitted that the internal memos discussing the issue may well exist, but that he did not recall seeing the documents.
Rutte then made a U-turn this week and released the documents, which stirred the opposition into a frenzy, accusing the prime minister of misleading them.
“The truth has not been told about the scrapping of dividend tax,” said Labour Party leader Lodewijk Asscher.
“The prime minister is responsible for that. He didn’t act with credibility,” Asscher said.
“The prime minister should have informed parliament (about the plans) but he failed to do so until he was pressurised,” added Jesse Klaver, leader of the ecology-left GroenLinks party.
“Rutte simply lied to us,” said far-right leader Geert Wilders, who in a rare moment was in agreement with arch-rival Klaver.
But Rutte would not be swayed during the debate, maintaining he “genuinely had no knowledge of any memo” apart from an internal party memo discussing the issue.
“I simply told the truth and that is how it is,” Rutte said. -- AFP