It may just be that the claims handling around the gas storage in Langelo is arranged very differently. State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief (D66) was in favor of solving the inequality between claims settlements in a parliamentary committee debate on gas extraction last night. Residents, the Groningen Mining Damage Institute (IMG) and the province of Drenthe are moderately positive.
Vijlbrief indicated in the parliamentary debate that he finds the current application of the reversed burden of proof (see box) undesirable. Currently, the reversed burden of proof only applies in parts surrounding the gas storage, which means that many claimants receive zero claims more quickly.
See first, then believe. Wisse Hummel of the Temporary Working Group on Mining Damage A (TWME) thinks it is still too early to fly the flag after Vijlbrief’s ruling. “In any case, the State Secretary recognizes that the settlement of claims is not going as it should. Now it comes down to what this will mean in concrete terms. So far there is no insight into this and that is unsatisfactory.”
The handling of damage around the Langelo gas storage (also known as UGS Norg) is in the hands of the IMG. This institute claims to want to do more for victims, but simply cannot. IMG chairman Bas Kortmann has always said ‘legally he cannot do more’ than the IMG already does.
Spokesperson Berend Henk Huizing emphasizes that once again. “The IMG has always explored the limits of the law. This is where our generosity lies. Of the 300,000 damage reports in Groningen and Drenthe, 280,000 have been resolved.”
According to him, the fact that people are dissatisfied is inherent in the large group of claimants. “These are often people for whom the handling is more complex. The law often gives us too little room to arrange good compensation. Bas Kortmann has often insisted on more means to do this properly. Vijlbrief’s statement offers perspective in this regard. .”
But the IMG also wants to see first that ‘The Hague’ really relaxes the law. “Something like this has been launched before,” says Huizing. “We still have to see it first. We are in any case positive about the way of thinking of the State Secretary.”
Deputy Tjisse Stelpstra was present at the debate on behalf of the province of Drenthe. He is in a good mood a day later. “I have heard a firm commitment from the State Secretary,” says Stelpstra. “He literally said: it can no longer be the way it is now. He further indicated that he will arrange it. How, he has not said that yet, but he has said that he will arrange it.”
In November, Stelpstra expects a letter from the State Secretary in which he indicates how he will tackle inequality. “It is in any case an important step that Vijlbrief has said that he thinks this is necessary. In any case, it makes me very hopeful.”
Hummel of the TWME indicates that they can already conclusively prove that there is still unequal treatment between claimants. “We have enough files of that,” said the resident of Een.
He hopes that last night’s statement by Vijlbrief will turn out to be a tipping point. “Together with the changing of the guard at the top of the IMG (Bas Kortmann will leave as of February 2023, ed.), I hope that this will set a new phase in motion.”