The News Minute | July 24, 2014 | 12:12 PM IST
The Dutch are certainly angry with Russia’s stand on the MH 17 crash, and things seem to be getting too personal for the two countries.
Sections among the Dutch population have been demanding that the country deport Maria Putin, the 29 year old daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who reportedly lives with her Dutch boyfriend in Voorschoten.
On Wednesday, Pieter Broertjes, the Mayor of the city of Hilversum in Netherlands during a radio interview said that the country should call Maria Putin and throw her out of the country, The Guardian reports.
Almost 300 people were killed in the Malaysia Airlines crash in Ukraine; half of the victims on board were Dutch nationals. The crash happened because the plane was shot down, allegedly by pro-Russian separatist who are supported by Russia. But Putin has been maintaining that it was the Ukraine military that shot down the plane.
Broertjes later apologized for his statement on Twitter thus:
“Words about daughter Putin on Radio 1 was not wise. This stemmed from a feeling of helplessness that many people will recognize.”
Opmerking over dochter Poetin op Radio 1 was niet verstandig. Deze kwam voort uit een gevoel van onmacht dat vele mensen zullen herkennen.
— Pieter Broertjes (@pieterbroertjes) July 23, 2014Ukrainians in Holland have also called for peaceful protests outside Maria Putin’s flat; a Dutch Newspaper reported. The newspaper also published a photograph of the apartment where she is supposedly living, The Guardian says. International media reports suggest that not much is known about Putin’s two daughters – Maria and Yekaterina. The two have never been photographed as adults.
Rumors that Maria is romantically involved with a Dutch citizen Jorrit Faassen have been doing the rounds in Netherlands for some time now. The media even suggested that Putin visited the couple last year, but this claim was denied by Russia.