EU-Digest/Telegraaf: Report in Telegraaf reveals British, Colombian, Danish, German, Portuguese and South African ambassadors abuse of personnel in the Netherlands. (original Telegraaf report in Dutch by Martijn Koolhoven)
A special report in today’s Dutch Telegraaf sheds light on some of the deplorable activities taking place behind closed doors in some of the residences of ambassadors accredited to the Netherlands. The report reveals details about an employee at the South African ambassador’s residence working without contract and having to be on call 24 hours a day. Excessive drinking problems of the Danish ambassador, leading to very undiplomatic behavior in and outside the embassy. The Colombian ambassador forcing his chauffeur to drive through a police roadblock, and the Portuguese ambassador kicking his driver out of the car because he wasn’t driving fast enough. When inhumane labor conditions were reported to Dutch officials by the staff of the German ambassador’s residence, the embassy denied labor inspectors to visit the residence based on diplomatic immunity. When the British ambassador Lyn Parker in the Netherlands heard that the Telegraaf was going to publish the report this weekend and that his cook was involved in assisting the Telegraaf’s investigation he fired him on the spot.
All of the above embassies declined to comment on the report except the British who said their employment policies within the residence of the ambassador was based on guidelines of the Dutch Government.
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