Drents deputy Tjisse Stelpstra (ChristenUnie) hopes that the cabinet will take prompt and generous action after the conclusions of the report of the committee of inquiry into gas extraction. The report, he says, makes it clear that for too long the focus has been on the money instead of the safety of the inhabitants in the earthquake zone.
“The conclusions are hard and shocking. Money is apparently the driving force,” Stepstra concludes. “You are allowed to earn money, but spending it on the residents is less desirable. There is such a fear that a euro may be wrongly spent on the residents. So cosy, we really have to get rid of that and also a little soon please.”
“The question now is, of course, what will be done with these conclusions. I hope that there will be really generous gestures now and not that it will be cut down to the last dime. I hear the word ‘debt of honor’ and that of course applies to Groningen , but also for North Drenthe. So the wallet will have to be drawn for the North.”
Stelpstra also wonders what the conclusions mean for current projects. “What consequences does this have for gas storage Norg, for example? Are we just going to take that gas out again, as if nothing had happened? Or are we scratching our heads a few times? I hope for the latter.”
“I really believe in the good intentions of the State Secretary. But the problem in The Hague is: you can find something at Economic Affairs, but then there is another Minister of Finance who keeps his hand on his purse,” says the deputy. “That really needs to be broken now. Prime Minister Rutte will have to row right through this.”