René van der Linden
Pierre René Hubert Marie (René) van der Linden (born Dec 14 1943, Eys) has been elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in autumn 2005.
Van der Linden was secretary of state of foreign affairs in the Dutch cabinet Lubbers II. He was responsible for the passport fiasco which was caused by ministerial incompetence (Template:Lang-nl).
In 2007, he became embroiled in controversy as Eesti Päevaleht suggested without providing any evidence that van der Linden's family had business interests in Russia.[1] This is suspected to explain his lack of criticism towards Putin and the Russian government for human rights violations and his pro-Russia and anti-Baltic stand,[2], as well as his stand against relocating the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn, a statue glorifying Soviet occupation troops, from central Tallinn. (See Soviet occupation of Baltic states for further details.)
During a press conference in Tallinn on Sep 19 2007, a controversy ensued when Linden falsely accused Estonia of not permitting foreigners from outside the EU to vote in local elections.[3] Former Prime Minister of Estonia Mart Laar attempted to correct him, pointing out that all residents in Estonia have had the right to vote in local elections for a very long time, however van der Linden vowed — incorrectly — he was right.
In reaction, the Estonian Social Democratic Party issued a statement claiming that this statement is so big and foolish a lie that Linden should be immediately recalled. Admitting that Linden's term of office is due to end in late 2007 anyway, the statement declared that he had with his inaccurate comments disqualified himself from the post.[4][5]
In a later meeting with members of Riigikogu, the Estonian parliament, Linden described the living conditions in Belarus by stating that the citizens there live without problems and are at peace with themselves. This statement caused significant outrage among Belarusian political refugees living in Estonia.[6]
Later that month, in a press conference in Lithuania, he claimed that millions of people live without status in Baltic countries. The entire population of Estonia is roughly 1,342,000, of which roughly 8.5% are without defined citizenship. [7]
Education
Economics: international administrative studies at Catholic Economics Faculty in Tilburg,(1966-1970), (now known as Tilburg University)
Career
- Member of the First Chamber (Senate) of the States-General of the Netherlands (from 1999)
- President of the Committee for European cooperation of the First Chamber of the States-General (since 2002)
- Member of the Second Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands (1977-1986 and 1988-1998)
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs with responsibility for European Affairs (1986-1988)
- Member of the cabinet of European Commissioner Pierre Lardinois (1973-1977) and European Commissioner Henk Vredeling (1977)
- Civil servant, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Netherlands (1971-1973)
- Teacher of economics (1969)
Other posts currently held
- President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) (since 24 January 2005)
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) member (since 1989)
- Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU)
- Member of the executive board of the Dutch employers’ confederation
- Board member of Kerk en Nood (Church and Need)
- Chairman of the Maastricht School of Management (since 1999)
- Board member of several associations in the agricultural sector
Party political posts
Chairperson of EPP/CD group in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) (1999-2005) and vice-chairperson (1989-1999) Second vice-chairperson of the Christian Democratic political group, CDA, Second Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands (1982-1986) Member of the party executive of the CDA Member of the party executive of the former Catholic Popular Party, KVP, and vice-chairman of the KVP youth section
Other posts previously held
- Chairperson of the Netherlands delegation to PACE (2003-2005)
- Delegated representative of the First Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands to the Convention on the Future of the European Union
- Patron of Stichting Lisboa, homeless children in Portugal (1995)
- Chairman of the advisory committee of the national school of translators and interpreters, Rijkshogeschool Opleiding tolk-vertaler (1990)
- Adviser to Combined Chambers of Commerce in Limburg (1989 and 1992)
- Member of Consultative Interparliamentary Benelux Council (1977-1986)
- Board member of the Netherlands Organisation for international assistance, NOVIB,
- President of several cultural foundations
Van der Linden was secretary of state of foreign affairs in the Dutch cabinet Lubbers II. He was responsible for the passport fiasco which was caused by ministerial incompetence (Template:Lang-nl).
Distinctions
- Philippine Congressional Medal of Achievement (2005)
- Commander Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2004)
- Knight in the Order of St. Gregory the Great (2003)
- Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau (1998)
- Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion (1988)
References
- ^ Eesti Päevaleht 3 August 2007: REPLIIK: Kremli käpiknukud
- ^ Jamestown Foundation 3 August 2007: PACE Chairman Bending to the Kremlin Wind against Estonia by Vladimir Socor
- ^ Reporter (ETV) 19 September 2007: Eesti venelaste ahistamise jutt viis Mart Laari sõnasõtta (Adobe Flash video, English sound, Estonian subtitles)
- ^ Eesti Päevaleht 1 October 2007: SDE: van der Lindeni peaks maha võtma, edited by Erik Rand
- ^ Estonian politicians call for resignation of PACE president
- ^ Postimees 21 September 2007: ENPA juht pahandas Eestisse pagenud valgevenelasi, edited by Alo Raun
- ^ Regnum 24 September 2007: PACE president stresses need for equal treatment for all those living in the Baltic states