The Senate will take a decision next week on the permanent closure of the gas tap in Groningen. Therefore, delays in dealing with the law have become a thing of the past.
The Senate Economic Affairs Committee took a procedural decision in this regard on Tuesday afternoon. Only the JA21 and Forum for Democracy factions did not want to make a decision next week. These parties were against closing the gas tap in Groningen from the beginning.
The Senate is expected to approve by a majority next week the law regulating the permanent closure of gas wells in the Groningen field. Last week, VVD unexpectedly filed a motion to defer treatment, but later qualified. It looks like the VVD, BBB and SGP will vote next week.
A long series of questions and answers
Caspar van den Berg, of the VVD, announced at the procedural meeting that he might agree to a general discussion next week. The VVD, BBB and some other factions have one A long list of written questions submitted, to which State Minister Hans Vegelbrief also responded in a 33-page letter.
“Let's hope we don't make the news this week,” committee chair Saskia Cloete (GroenLinks-PvdA) noted of the uproar that occurred last week. Caspar van den Berg then immediately announced that next week would now be possible for VVD, if the questions were answered.
Most factions reiterated that as far as they were concerned, the gas tap should be turned off, and that the people of Groningen deserved clarity. The Party for the Animals, SP and Volt reiterated how sorry they were that the mystery resurfaced last week. “It seems that the majority of this committee is not sensitive enough,” said Gaby Perrin-Jobe of Volt.
