There is broad support in the House of Representatives for the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission’s conclusions on gas production in Groningen. Today and tomorrow, the House will discuss the highly critical report of the investigation with the committee from the end of February. The committee later concluded that, among other things, the interests of the people of Groningen were systematically disregarded and that making money was more important than security.
Almost all the Members of the European Parliament who have spoken so far agree that the Netherlands owes the people of Groningen a “debt of honor”. However, there are many questions about what this really means for the committee.
Lawmakers also believe that the relevant Cabinets do not fully inform the Assembly and that the Assembly itself should be much more vigilant. SP MP Beckermann spoke of a government that failed on all fronts. Others see this as a moment to “reflect on the workings of the House of Representatives”. The opposition points out that the interests of the coalition parties are often decisive.
“Rutte could have written the report himself”
The opposition is judging Prime Minister Rutte harshly. The Committee concludes that it was only in 2018 that the Prime Minister realized the seriousness and urgency of the problems. Many members of the opposition find this implausible, saying Rutte “was the only person in charge all these years and could write the report himself,” said BBB chief Van der Plas.
Drost, a Bundestag MP from the ruling party ChristenUnie, wondered if the committee’s impression of using softer words than other ministers about Rutte’s role was correct. He himself did not want to judge the role of the prime minister. First, he waits for the committee’s response.
“Sixty Years of Investment”
During the discussion, PvdA MEP Nijboer said that after sixty years of gas production, the cabinet must now invest sixty years to pay off its debt of honor to the people of Groningen.
The Commission of Inquiry will respond to the Assembly tomorrow. Then there will be a discussion with the cabinet. This will be accompanied by a response to the report only when the Assembly has commented on the report as a whole.
Source: NOS
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
