Sandra Beckerman (SP) and Henk Nijboer (PvdA), two Groningen-based representatives in the Dutch parliament, are calling for an emergency session after talks on reinforcing earthquake-damaged buildings failed.
RTV Noord reports that talks among economic minister Eric Wiebes, the province of Groningen, the earthquake-prone municipalities and other social organisations fell apart on Tuesday. Beckerman and Nijboer want an emergency session in parliament to discuss why the talks failed.
The negotiations were focused on the fate of 1,588 homes in towns like Appingedam, Delfzijl, Ten Boer and Overschild that are waiting to be structurally reinforced to repair earthquake damage and prepare the homes for future quakes. Some of the homes have already been evaluated, but the residents have yet to be informed about the recommendations for their homes.
The regional and local parties want reinforcement operations to begin as quickly as possible, but Wiebes wanted to wait on the outcome of research being conducted by the Dutch meteorological institute KNMI and Groningen-based applied research institution TNO. The research results are expected by late June.
