Interview Paul Slettenhaar – Anoushka Schut-Welkzijn 07 March 14 at Zuid WTC station in Amsterdam

On the 19th of March we will have local elections in the Netherlands.

In Amsterdam the VVD party tries to persuade expats to vote if they can as the municipality has a large influence on everyday life of its citizens.

The VVD in Amsterdam has established an expat government centre in which you can arrange all paperwork when arriving in Amsterdam: municipal registration, utilities, parking permit.

VVD MP, Anoushka Schut-Welkzijn used to be an expat to the United Kingdom:” As I have lived in the UK for nine years, I know how important it is to settle in smoothly after moving house into a country where you’re not accustomed to government procedure. There are so many things to arrange by the expat or his or her spouse. The Netherlands should be more welcoming and service-oriented to the expats here. That’s why I support the VVD Amsterdam to make sure that expats that can vote will vote and let their voice be heard”.

On March 10^th the VVD will seek to contact expats at the Zuid/WTC railway-station in Amsterdam from 7-9 am to invite them to vote, as most expats can.

The VVD in Amsterdam wants to lower the amount of social housing so more housing is accessible to expats. District Mayor Paul Slettenhaar of VVD Amsterdam Zuid has reduced theft and criminal behaviour the last four years, so South is now by far the safest District in Amsterdam. There has been the introduction of a visitor’s parking permit, so visitors don’t have to pay a parking fee. The bike-paths are safer, the Vondelpark has been cleaned and re-grounded and from this year you will be able to dispose of garbage underground in the whole district.

The approval-rate of the public services in Amsterdam Zuid is the highest in the city (8,9).

District Mayor Paul Slettenhaar “A service oriented, secure city for our internationals is top priority, expats should feel safe and welcome in a clean city, but there is still a lot of work to be done to improve services”

The VVD aims its service improvement not only to the expat, but also the love-pat, the spouse as well. “They are often the ones arranging the move, so they must receive the same treatment”, according to District Mayor Slettenhaar, and “The services should not be limited to your first move into the city, which is often to temporary housing, but for later as well.”