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AMSTERDAM — The Netherlands on Wednesday proposed establishing a fund for nations worst hit by the new coronavirus and has asked other countries in the European Union to contribute, Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra said.

The Netherlands was criticized by southern European countries who accused it of lacking solidarity in its response to the coronavirus.

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“What we are proposing is a healthcare emergency fund to which the Netherlands would make a very substantial contribution,” Hoekstra told Reuters.

“It would be roughly a billion euros and that would be a gift as a sign of solidarity intended for countries dealing with the coronavirus,” he said.

The Netherlands received positive reactions from other nations within the 27-member bloc to the proposal, Hoekstra said.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told parliament earlier on Wednesday the Netherlands preferred to make a “gift” to European countries in financial distress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic rather than issue joint bonds or tap the European Union’s bailout fund.