Can't believe there were so many shares floating on the open market and that they could be bought without skyrocketing the price, so the question is, who sold those shares to the Dutch government?
There are always shares floating and available if the price is right. Investing parties (unlike strategic investors) make their shares available if they (or their computer algorithm they use!) feel that the price offered is better than what it is worth. This was clearly shown by the share price increase needed to make them available to the market and the immediate fall in the price when the story came out.
