Naturalisation
Radio Netherlands Press review, 24 August:
Today is the first - of what’s to be known here as - Naturalisation Day, for foreigners who’ve become Dutch citizens. Every single municipality in the country is organising a ceremony for foreigners who became Dutch nationals after 1 January, this year.
“Little interest for naturalisation day”, is de Volkskrant’s headline. It quotes hard-line Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk as saying, “It takes time to get adjusted to new things, and interest is perhaps not as great as we had hoped for”.
NRC.next has a great picture on its front page of a shirt with the following quote “I became Dutch and all I got was this lousy T-shirt”.
People who become Dutch citizens in Amsterdam will not be getting that shirt. They’ll be receiving a porcelain object made by a Chinese artist who has been living in Holland for the past 12 years.
NRC.next has an interesting article in its inside pages of how it used to be to become a Dutch citizen. A Turkish national submitted a request for citizenship, and after waiting 386 days - mind you - she was invited to go to the town hall to get her passport. She triumphantly told the public servant that she was becoming Dutch that day. The official answered, “Oh yeah? First go and pay 80 guilders and come back with the receipt.”
Source: Radio Netherlands Press Review, 24 August 2006
Radio Netherlands Press Review, 25 August:
All the papers carry personal and general stories about the Netherlands’ first Naturalisation Day for new citizens, and two papers devote editorials to the subject. Both NRC Handelsblad and de Telegraaf welcome the new event. “The ceremony,” writes NRC, “obliges the government to no longer make a distinction between immigrants and native-born Dutch citizens.”
There are many people in the world who would like to become Dutch, “but very few can overcome all the legal and physical obstacles. The energy that immigrants spend to move to Holland can be used to benefit Dutch society and we should celebrate that”.
De Telegraaf also sees the event as a festive occasion, but as usual it takes a conservative line. The paper believes that immigrants should be forced to sing the national anthem - the Wilhelmus - on Naturalisation Day, and it calls on the government to examine “whether having dual citizenship can be banned”.
Source: Radio Netherlands Press Review, 25 August 2006
