King’s Commissioner: Groningen needs to fix itself with earthquake compensation

Groningen must seize the opportunities offered by the earthquake money itself this year and not wait for instructions from The Hague. King's Commissioner René Paas said this in his New Year's speech. Around 22 billion euros will be available over the next 30 years under the name “Nij Begun” to pay off the “debt of honor” to the people of Groningen.

“We now have the chance to make a start for the next generation,” said Paas. “To offer a way out from the swamp of low literacy, unfinished studies, and vulnerability.” He added that the initiative to give primary school students a few extra hours a week in lessons is an inspiring example of giving children a likelihood of better opportunities in their lives.

The Cabinet promised more than a year and a half ago after the parliamentary inquiry into the long-term gas extraction that damage repair and housing reinforcement would become "milder, more humane and easier.”

Paas is skeptical about this, just as he is about the "necessary infrastructure" for Groningen, such as the Lelylijn and the Nedersaksenlijn. "We have known for a long time: 'hail and zegen' do not come from The Hague. We are concerned about the power of habit in the decisions made in The Hague. You want a solution, and you get a settlement."

He said that without Groningen’s own efforts, these plans would not be realized. He, therefore, hopes that the three formateurs will quickly succeed in forming a new board of Provincial Executive. On 25 September, the previous coalition of BBB, PvdA, Groninger Belang, and ChristenUnie fell.

The cooperation between the three parties proved to be very difficult, and that has also been the case when forming the new coalition, said Paas. If it succeeds, GroenLinks and VVD will take the place of ChristenUnie and Groninger Belang. The formation talks started on Saturday.

The four parties must show the will "to work it out together" despite the polarization, according to Paas. They must understand "that a compromise does not indicate weak knees, but a willingness to listen seriously to each other, in politics and in society."

"Let 2025 be the year in which Groningen not only dreams of a better future but in which we experience that we can achieve it together," Paas concluded his speech, which also focused on 80 years of freedom.