The decision by Greece to hold a referendum on a EU debt rescue package is an ‘extremely unfortunate development’, prime minister Mark Rutte told parliament on Tuesday evening.

The cabinet would do all it could to prevent the referendum occurring, the prime minister said. However, the likelihood of Eurozone ministers managing to persuade prime minister George Papandreou to drop the plan at Wednesday’s meeting is very small.
If it does happen, we need to make sure it is a minimal referendum which takes place as soon as possible in order to minimise the damage, Rutte said.
Weak
During the debate, MPs were critical of the package of measures to bail out Greece agreed last week. The measures are ‘too weak’ to merit a yes vote, Labour’s finance spokesman Ronald Plasterk said. The government needs Labour’s approval to ensure majority support for the plan.
Even if the referendum idea was dropped, the rescue package still contains ‘too many uncertainties’ and depends on too many other things for Labour to support it, Plasterk said.
The D66 Liberals also say the agreement does not go far enough and called on the prime minister to stop making it sound better than it is.