Dutch mercy for Putin’s daughter

The Hague: Calls to expel Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughter from the Netherlands over MH17 have fallen flat, with many noting that their Argentine-born queen has not been punished for her father’s junta past.

Despite calls from Ukrainian activists and right-wing Dutch newspapers for Maria Putin, 29, to be punished for her father’s alleged role in bringing down flight MH17, most here noted that you cannot blame a child for the sins of his or her father. Ms Putin moved to Holland two years ago with her partner.

The mayor of Hilversum, which lost several inhabitants in the July 17 crash, hit the headlines after calling for Ms Putin to be kicked out. But mayor Pieter Broertjes rapidly withdrew his call, saying it had been “unwise”. “It came from a feeling of impotence that many people will know,” he tweeted.

“If a daughter is indeed responsible for her father’s deeds, then Queen Maxima Zorreguieta (her maiden name) (of the Netherlands) would have had to leave the country long ago,” wrote waarinholland.nl. Her father Jorge Zorreguieta was a junior agriculture minister under the regime of general Videla, who was known for getting rid of his opponents.