Source: dutchnews.nl — US ambassador criticises Dutch block on DigiD owner sale
The US ambassador to the Netherlands has spoken out against the Dutch government’s decision to veto the sale of DigiD operator Solvinity to American IT firm Kyndryl, saying he is in urgent talks with the State Department and wants a meeting with prime minister Rob Jetten.
Joseph Popolo, speaking at a panel at the inaugural Next Gen Security Conference in The Hague on Wednesday, said the cabinet had acted under “time pressure” and “without time for a full evaluation”.
Popolo has zero diplomatic experience. He does, however, have 1.3 million dollars to buy himself an ambassadorship in a nice country.
The ambassador said US investors considering doing business in the Netherlands needed “clarity” on how the government would handle sensitive deals, and pointedly noted that Solvinity is already in British rather than Dutch hands – suggesting the cabinet’s concern was with American rather than foreign ownership as such.
I wonder why that is, Joe? It is the first time a deal like this concerning an American firm was blocked: unimaginable a decade ago.