Another Dutch minister resigns over Afghan refugee issue

By Abdullah Asiran and Selman Aksunger

ROTTERDAM / HAGUE, The Netherlands (AA) – Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld resigned on Friday on the issue of evacuation of refugees from Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover.

Earlier country’s Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag had resigned after the lower house of parliament criticized the government over its handling of evacuations from Afghanistan.

Bijleveld, who was also condemned because of the delay of the evacuation of civilians from Afghanistan, announced her resignation at a news conference.

Stating that she will not be able to do her job well from now on, the minister said she would submit her resignation to Willem Alexander, the king of the Netherlands.

After a fierce debate on Wednesday, the Dutch parliament passed a motion of censure against the government over its handling of evacuations.

"The House considers that the government has acted irresponsibly," Kaag said in a statement after parliament voted by 78 votes to 72 to condemn the government.

Before the vote, Bijleveld had said that she does not intend to resign regardless of the result.

As a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), she took up the post to head the Defense Ministry in 2017.