Groningen States changes agenda for debate on postponement of gas decision

ANP Productions | Source: ANP

Today at 12:27

Groups in the Provincial Council of Groningen are astonished and full of incomprehension about the decision of the Senate to postpone consideration of the bill that regulates the closure of the Groningen gas field. A planned committee meeting with numerous topics was largely postponed to allow for a debate on the controversial postponement on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the groups, the news evokes many emotions among residents in the province who have already been deeply affected by all the problems caused by gas extraction in recent decades. “In addition, this confirms the distrust that residents have towards the government. This is a very bad thing for Groningen. This is the umpteenth time that promises made to Groningen may not be kept. We cannot accept this,” write nine factions.

They want to know what steps the Provincial Executive will now take. “It is important to provide clarity to our residents as soon as possible about what steps are being taken and to clearly express our support for them.” The Groningen King’s Commissioner René Paas has strongly appealed to all factions in the Senate to enshrine the closure in law.

At the initiative of the VVD in the Senate, the Senate postponed the consideration of the closure law, with the support of BBB, PVV, JA21, SGP, FVD and 50PLUS. They are not entirely convinced that the security of gas supply is sufficiently assured. A VVD MP assured on Wednesday that definitively stopping gas extraction is not up for discussion. State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief (Mining) is threatening to resign if his proposal to close the gas field is delayed in the Senate.