Pandora Papers, van Aalderen (De Telegraaf): “Another Hoekstra gaffe after criticism of Italy”

“The criticisms addressed in the past to Italy by the Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra and its alleged implications in the facts reported by the Pandora Papers are two different things”. This was underlined by the correspondent for the Dutch newspaper ‘De Telegraaf’, Maarten van Aalderen. “Towards Italy – he explains, speaking with Adnkronos – he manifested a total lack of sensitivity and empathy in a historical moment in which the country was dramatically affected by the consequences of Covid”, underlining the lack of reserves necessary to face a period of severe crisis like that. “An incredible gaffe in respect of which he then tried to take steps back”, an attitude even worse than that of Prime Minister Mark Rutte “who knew that many people were afraid of having to face Italian difficulties economically”. “As Minister of Finance he has shown that he knows how to keep the accounts perfectly in order but what has come out now … even if he gave up on investments before he became a minister .. He is another fool, and of course in the Netherlands he he talks a lot, “he admits. The correspondent of the Dutch daily also talks about the outcome of the vote in Rome: “The successor of Virginia Raggi, whoever he is, will not have an easy life”. And then he warns: “Never draw hasty conclusions on the national level from local elections”, recalling the outcome of the consultations of 1993, the first that he followed as a correspondent in our country, which led the center-left to victory in Rome, with Rutelli, and Naples, with Bassolino, but they were followed a year later “by the victory of the center-right, with a certain detachment”. “It is true that according to the polls, the decline of the M5S has already been underway for some years, without prejudice to the parenthesis of newfound popularity due to Giuseppe Conte. I do not know to what extent he can make it up, to regain the lost consensus. This trend therefore was already indicated by various polls – he adds – as emerged in the polls the growth of the Brothers of Italy to the detriment of the League, now almost engaged in a competition for who is the largest party. From this point of view, elements similar to those emerge. that we see in national polls but we must not forget that we cannot make hasty conclusions “.” It is also true that Virginia Raggi had a very difficult mandate in Rome, she had the press against, and then knowing how to administer Rome is very difficult. Whoever is his successor will not have an easy life “, he concludes.