Coevorden also fears the wolf. The parties BBC2014 and CDA believe that the municipality of Coevorden should do everything possible to prevent social unrest, now that a wandering wolf regularly appears in the municipality of Coevorden and causes suffering to farmers.
“Where the wolf has established itself in Southwest Drenthe, a wandering wolf has now and then been spotted in the municipality of Coevorden,” can be read in the motion of BBC2014 and CDA. Discussions with the province, the national government, the Security Region and other interested organizations should ensure that there is clarity about when the wolf may be chased or shot.
The council, with the exception of the PvdA and PAC parties, approved the motion.
“It is unacceptable that wolves have already attacked and killed farm animals several times and on a large scale,” says Henk Mulder of BBC2014. “This causes a feeling of insecurity and fear among many residents. Bert Albring, farmer by profession and councilor on behalf of the VVD, adds: “It is clear that this is going to get out of hand.”
Jerry Stoker of the opposition party PAC points out to the city council that the municipality is not about wolf policy: “These are European guidelines and the wolf enjoys heavy protection.”
The motion reads as follows: “The legal possibilities to take action against the wolf are very limited, because the wolf may not be killed or captured in natural behavior.” But BBC2014 and CDA want clearer exceptions to those legal rules.
Mayor Renze Bergsma says he is aware of the concerns: “As a result of animal victims in our municipality, we have been in contact with farmers.” Together with mayor Karel Loohuis, he forms a leading group in the discussions about the wolf with deputy Henk Jumelet (CDA) of the province.
Bergsma has some comments on the requirement of both parties: “We are already in consultation. With regard to the criteria, we depend on the province, they are the competent authority. The municipality will not supervise damage settlements, but if that is wrong We’ll see if we can help with that.”
Finally, the mayor wants to say: “The sense of risk is enormous, but the risk itself is actually very small. Nothing serious has happened in the last fifty to sixty years”, Bergsma refers to attacks with human victims.