The outbreak of war in Iran and other parts of the Middle East has reignited discussion in the Netherlands about gas extraction in Groningen. JA21, PVV, Forum for Democracy and the Markuszower Group today argued in a committee debate in the House of Representatives to drain the Groningen field. They could not count on a majority, the other parties believe that the agreements made with the people of Groningen and North Drenthe should remain in place.
“The world is on fire and that has a direct effect on the wallets of all Dutch people. Our country is a plaything of powers beyond our control,” says former PVV member Gidi Markuszower on behalf of his own faction. The Markuszower Group has seven MPs, all of whom split from the PVV.
At his side Markuszower finds JA21. That party came up with a proposal on Thursday not to fill all gas wells in the Groningen field with concrete. According to Joost Eerdmans’ party, the Groningen field should be able to be used in an emergency to maintain the gas supply. The Dutch Petroleum Company (NAM) quickly announced on Thursday that it did not want to play a role in the possible implementation of that plan.
