Dutch lawmaker wants to fine women for wearing headscarves

Amsterdam. Women wearing Muslim head coverings should be fined 1,000 euros (1,461 dollars) per year, Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders told parliament on Wednesday. Wilders, leader of the liberal-right Freedom Party PVV made his remarks during a parliamentary debate about the government's budget plans.

"Everyone who wants to wear a headscarf, should first apply for a headscarf license," Wilders said. He added the fine, which he called a "head rags tax," was meant to "demotivate" people to wear Muslim attire.

Wilders also announced that on Thursday he would file a motion against the government following its refusal to reply to the Freedom Party's request to calculate the "entire expenses of mass immigration."

The PVV said it would soon launch its own investigation to calculate the combined costs of mass immigration (...)