When René Paas took office in 2016 as King’s Commissioner of the province of Groningen, it took three months before he had a cup of coffee with Minister Henk Kamp (Economic Affairs, VVD). While at that time major interests played a role in the Groningen gas file: among other things, the repair of damage to houses caused by the earthquakes was difficult and slow. “I have never been able to build a close relationship with Minister Kamp,” Paas said Friday before the parliamentary committee of inquiry in The Hague. “The relationship was distant.”
There was more contact with Kamp’s successors Eric Wiebes (VVD). Administrative consultations were held between the central government and the region, and several negotiations were held with the central government in recent years. Among other things, after the decision in 2018 to stop gas extraction in Groningen in the future – a decision that “everyone was surprised and euphoric”, according to Paas. But, he said, “that euphoria only lasted a day,” after it turned out that turning off the gas valve also temporarily halted the reinforcement operation. “This meant that more than 3,000 families were left in uncertainty for longer.” The province then temporarily suspended negotiations with the minister.
‘An embarrassing display’
Paas also negotiated with the government about money for the perspective of the region. This resulted in the National Program Groningen (NPG): a subsidy pot of 1.15 billion euros for projects that strengthen the future of Groningen. Only that money would be “starting capital,” Paas said. “But when we talk to the government now, there are sounds that we have already received money. What used to be start-up capital is now used as an excuse not to have to do anything anymore,” said Paas. “While we are entitled to continued involvement of the highest level because of what has gone so terribly wrong and has not been resolved to this day,” Paas said of the impact of the earthquakes in the area.
Paas also put his hand in his bosom. At the beginning of this year, hundreds of people, including the elderly with mobility problems, queued outside town halls in the freezing cold to apply for a grant related to earthquake damage to their homes. But the money from the subsidy pot ran out after an hour. “Those images went through my marrow,” said Paas, who knew that there was not enough money available. “There is nothing here but an apology. I was involved and feel incredibly responsible for it to this day. I think it’s an embarrassing display.”
This article is also part of our live blog: King’s Commissioner René Paas: ‘The relationship with Kamp was distant’