States withdraw hands from Holwerd aan Zee: no structural provincial money for maintenance and management of the new tidal lake

The Frisian States took this decision on Wednesday after a motion by JA21, BBB, VVD, PVV and FVD. Ultimately, 25 members of Parliament voted in favor and 16 against the proposal not to take responsibility for the management and maintenance of this intended natural and recreational tidal lake between Holwert and the Wadden Sea. The decision does not affect the 10 million euros that Fryslân had already reserved for this project.

Wetterskip Fryslân and the municipality of Noardeast-Fryslân had previously decided not to burn their fingers with maintenance and management. Only Rijkswaterstaat has not yet taken a position. The government agency will wait until this summer when the Northern Audit Chamber and Sweco present their studies into the feasibility of Holwerd aan Zee. The costs of management and maintenance will then also be listed.

Holwerd aan Zee: disappointment but not the end of the story

Spokesman Marco Verbeek of the Holwerd aan Zee foundation calls the decision of the States strange and a setback. Strange because the province itself also commissioned the further studies and therefore does not want to wait for them now with regard to maintenance and management. And a disappointment because Fryslân has given the impression of being a party to management and maintenance all these years. But the province’s decision does not mean the end of the story for this Holwerd aan Zee, he says. “We should hear this from the partners in the stjoer group and discuss how no more proud.” These co-partners are the province, the municipality of Noardeast-Fryslân, Rijkswaterstaat, the Bird Protection Society, the Wadden Association and it Fryske Gea.

Traffic lights on dark orange

Deputy Sijbe Knol (FNP) was somewhat gloomy. “The darning boats are always on dark orange.”

JA21 Member of Parliament Maarten Goudzaak, initiator of the motion, said he no longer wanted to wait for the investigations. “Der inne wol tritich rapportasjes oer Holwert oan See skreaun. How may the coming reports not be enough for you?

Goudwaard said he wanted to protect the province from a financial drama due to exorbitantly high maintenance and management costs. He questioned the intention of five entrepreneurs to invest possibly 40 million euros in the area. “On the basis of their own strong fan base, they are able to make the right move,” he said.

‘No tax money in bankrupt estate’

VVD member Eric ter Keurs also said he no longer believed in it. “The cost and benefit analysis may be positive, but in our opinion it was written on the basis of wishful thinking and not on the basis of economic feasibility. Let’s not invest taxpayers’ money in a bankrupt estate.”

PvdA States member Daan Olivier called it incomprehensible that the Frisian States cannot have the patience to wait for the investigations. “We now act based on gut feelings. This motion sends the wrong signal. We act as an unreliable government.”