The cabinet and NAM owe a “debt of honor to the people of Groningen”. While the country has benefited from Groningen gas for years, the people of Groningen themselves have had to bear high burdens and costs. Corresponding are the reactions to the long-awaited report of the parliamentary commission of inquiry.
It is “particularly sad” but also good that all of the Netherlands can now see how profoundly the consequences of gas extraction have affected the lives of many people in Groningen. This is what the Speaker of the House of Representatives has
Vera Bergkamp, ​​​​​​President of the House of Representatives, believes it is “particularly sad” but also good that all of the Netherlands can now see how deeply the consequences of gas extraction have affected the lives of many Groningen residents. “The rest of the Netherlands took too long to understand the impact and suffering caused by the earthquakes in Groningen.”
According to the Speaker of the Chamber, the victims have a ‘voice’ thanks to the public hearings of the commission of inquiry. It is therefore “good that the truth about the decision-making process has emerged”.
SP: cruel, cowardly and disastrous policy
The PS believes that the commission of inquiry into gas extraction “makes it painfully clear how the population of Groningen is being deliberately destroyed by the state. It is a recognition, but at the same time a small novelty,’ says Member of Parliament Sandra Beckerman.
He points out that Groningen residents have been saying this for years, but that Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s successive cabinets “have been deaf for years”. The PS talks about cruel, cowardly and disastrous policies. On this the party wants a short-term confrontation with Rutte, “the only administrative constant involved in both of these scandals from the beginning until today”.
According to the party, action is now urgently needed, because the destruction is not over yet. “Claims handling and strengthening unsafe homes is still dramatic.”
Volts: ‘real’ compensation is needed
“And now full steam ahead with real compensation for the Groningers, who have completely lost faith in our administration,” said MP Laurens Dassen (Volt) in response to the parliamentary inquiry committee. He also thinks Prime Minister Mark Rutte should apologise.
According to the Volt leader, the fact that the security of the population of Groningen was less important than the income from gas extraction and that “the people had to give way to the importance of profit and the state treasury” is another example that there is something of fundamentally wrong in the administrative culture of the Netherlands.
GroenLinks: ‘inhuman’ actions
Party leader Jesse Klaver of GroenLinks finds it “inhuman that the government has systematically put the financial interests of the state, Shell and Exxon above the safety of Groningenians”. He said this in response to the report of the parliamentary commission of inquiry which investigated gas extraction in the province and the earthquakes it caused.
Much like the PvdA with which he works closely, Klaver believes the ‘debt of honour’ to Groningen must be paid. The left-wing politician calls the actions regarding the gas extraction “a gross violation of the constitutional task of the government: to protect its inhabitants”.
CvdK Paas: suffering is recognized
The acknowledgment of suffering is certain. The King’s Commissioner in Groningen René Paas said on Friday after the presentation of the results of the parliamentary commission of inquiry that investigated the extraction of natural gas in Groningen.
According to Paas, Van der Lee “did not hide the fact that a great injustice has taken place here. I used the word “mistreated” too. Only one interest was dominant here, and that was the great importance of money. And everyone who has had the misfortune to live above the gas bubble has fallen victim to it.”
According to Paas, the fact that ‘it was not a coincidence’ means ‘that there is, as the president also said, a moral dimension. That the State really has something to fix. He thinks that the commission “doesn’t think about trifles”.
Party for the animals: Groningers disappointed
According to party leader Esther Ouwehand of the Party for the Animals, “the people of Groningen were terribly let down”. The report of the commission of inquiry investigating gas drilling in the northern province shows that “money dominated” and that the failure of the system has led to “disastrous consequences”.
Ouwehand speaks of the committee’s “harsh, painful and justified conclusions”.
The Environmental Federation wants a new future
Jan-Willem Lobeek, director of the Groningen Nature and Environment Federation, hopes the province can continue with a “new future” after the findings of the parliamentary commission of inquiry. “We don’t want to look too far back. We have to move forward,’ says Lobeek.
Lobeek is present at Friday’s meeting in the town hall of Garmerwolde, city of Groningen. There, State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief (Mines) and organizations are examining the presentation of the results of the parliamentary inquiry committee that investigated the gas drilling in Groningen.
VNG: Repair a breach of trust
The Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) wants the breach of trust that has occurred due to the gas extraction with the population of Groningen and with Groningen to be remedied. “Closing that gap must now be a priority.”
“The rapid and professional repair of the damage is a first condition for this, as well as simplifying the procedures”, according to the VNG. The association is consulting interested Groningen municipalities on how they can help with this.
The VNG is shocked by the report. ‘It was hard to read all that went wrong with gas drilling and home strengthening in Groningen. First of all, of course, that safety wasn’t paramount.’ According to the VNG, the government should have been more present for the citizens. Procedures and costs were too important, writes the VNG.
NAM extension
The Nederlandse Aardgas Maatschappij (NAM) and the State Supervision of Mines (SodM) still need time to study the critical report of the parliamentary commission of inquiry into gas drilling in Groningen. Authorities say they will respond later on Friday afternoon.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
