Two hundred thousand euros for supervisors in Nieuw-Weerdinge and the promise that small-scale locations will be established. These demands are made by Senate Member Auke van der Goot of OPNL, the one-man faction of independent provincial parties, in exchange for his crucial vote for the dispersal law.
The vote of Fries Van der Goot, who lives in Groningen, could be decisive next week, when the Senate votes on the dispersal law. Then at least one VVD member or BBB member must go against the line of the rest of his faction.
In the debate on Monday evening, Van der Goot stated that the dispersal law would be good news for the regions in which the provincial parties that form OPNL are represented. These are Groningen, Drenthe, Friesland, Zeeland, Brabant and Limburg. The areas that receive more asylum seekers than provinces in the Randstad. He therefore assumed that there would be a few VVD members or BBB members from those regions who would therefore feel compelled to vote in favor.
Bad experiences with COA
His vote in favor is certainly not a done deal yet, Van der Goot said. He had spoken to his fellow party members from the provinces and they had bad experiences with the COA, which often does not want small-scale shelter. In their experience, COA often only wants large, efficient reception locations.
The State Secretary must therefore promise that this small-scale shelter will be available after all, says Van der Goot. He also discussed a motion by Sterk Lokaal Drenthe about additional boas against nuisance in Nieuw-Weerdinge. After that motion, 200,000 euros were made available in the Drenthe Parliament for ten supervisors. That money must only come from the government, the province has said. Van der Goot demands that State Secretary Van der Burg come up with the money.
The OPNL stated in its contribution that the way in which COA and the ministry deal with the municipalities of Westerwolde and Emmen makes other municipalities in the country shy away. “Promises are repeatedly not kept. Then it is understandable that other municipalities just look away.”
The debate will continue on Tuesday, when Van der Burg must answer the many questions the senators asked on Monday.