There was also an emergency debate on the gas issue in Groningen City Council. Like county council members, municipal council members have argued that gas extraction should be halted by law. The council also wants Groningen’s municipal council to object to the government’s “unacceptable” gas plans.

Groningen Mayor Schuling made an important reference to The Hague after the meeting. “Our city council, county council and many other municipal councils are all saying unanimously: it is already over. It is unacceptable that more gas is being extracted from the land than has been agreed upon. The people of Groningen are really tired.”

Emergency discussions on gas are also scheduled for other Groningen municipalities in the coming days.

Nitrogen plant

had become I already expected That more Groningen gas will be needed this year than originally thought. This relates to the construction of a nitrogen plant in the province, which should convert foreign gas into gas suitable for use in Dutch homes. This plant was supposed to be ready in April, but construction was delayed.

Former Minister Blok for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy described the slowdown in nitrogen synthesis and rising gas demand from Germany last week as disappointing. In a letter to the Sejm, he wrote that he understood that extracting the additional gas represented a setback for many Groningen residents. Block urged his German colleague at the end of last month to take all possible measures in the hope that additional gas would not be necessary.

support scheme

The new government will make a final decision on the issue before April 1. Gas extraction in Groningen falls under Foreign Minister Vegelebrev’s portfolio for economic affairs. He said earlier that research was being done to see what was possible to prevent additional gas from being pumped out of Groningen’s soil this year.

Next week, the new foreign minister will speak for two days with residents, administrators and authorities in the earthquake-stricken area in Groningen. This visit, among other things, will be dominated by the scheme of support for victims of Groningen, which aims to improve their homes.

At the beginning of this week, tens of thousands of people from Groningen lined up online to apply for this €10,000 benefit. Hundreds lined up town halls. The support bowl was empty within one day. In the emergency debate of the Provincial Assembly, King Commissioner Rene Bass on behalf of the Provincial Government apologized for the state of affairs.