Minister Block: The final decision on extracting Wadden Sea gas is not before March

And the outgoing Minister Block expects that the Cabinet will not take a final decision on the permit to extract gas under the Wadden Sea before March of next year. He said this in a debate in the House of Representatives.

It was announced last month that the outgoing Minister of Economic Affairs intends to give the Non-Aligned Movement permission to extract at Turnard. According to him, research has shown that gas extraction is possible in a way that is safe for people and the environment and that the consequences of landing are limited.

It is believed that there are no legal options for refusal of the permit if all legal requirements are met. “But it is still possible to provide opinions that may lead to amendments to draft resolutions,” he wrote to the House of Representatives this week.

The Chamber does its own research

Block’s approach has been widely criticized. Nature organizations, the Friesland Provincial Assembly and part of the House of Representatives, among others, believe that new gas extraction under the Wadden Sea should not be allowed any longer. The House of Representatives itself first conducted legal investigations to determine whether the extraction could still be prevented. D66 Representative Bucky, among others, demanded that Blok not take “irreversible steps” before the House of Representatives receives the advice and is able to debate it.

Block said he could not simply interfere with an ongoing procedure, and reiterated that extracting the gas would not cause demonstrable harm. But there are opportunities to hear the voice of both sides and this part is underway.” He demanded that the House of Representatives put the investigation on the table in time, so that the Cabinet and the House of Representatives can discuss it again in January, for example. The final decision is expected in March.

Million dollar question

Part of the House of Representatives calls on the Cabinet not to grant permission as long as she remains resigned. But according to Block, this is “not possible under the rule of law,” stressing that the Council of Ministers takes a decision on the permit on the basis of the conditions set by the law, whether it is money transfers or not.

When asked if Blok expects there will be a missionary government in March, he replied: “That’s it Million dollar question. The interesting thing is that the room is all about that, and I’m not.”