1 Limburg
In collaboration with
Hamburg
ANNOUNCEMENTS••Edited
Limburg’s members of parliament say they were threatened during the debate over the closure of Maastricht Aachen Airport (MAA). Today there is a meeting on the future of the airport.
VVD Member of Parliament Teun Heldens, among others, spoke of threats ahead of the debate. “Opinions have soured. There have been emails and messages that are horrific. It is about harassment, slander, defamation and incitement.”
Airport opponents are annoyed by low-flying cargo planes. They believe that air traffic pollutes the environment, is unnecessary and expensive. Economic crimes have recently been reported against the airport because MAA did not have the necessary nature permits for nitrogen emissions, according to 1 Limburg .
Several dozen people are protesting today in front of the provincial government building in Maastricht.
Among the protesters are local residents and representatives of action groups and environmental organizations:
Protesters at Maastricht Aachen airport ‘It’s an incredible amount of money in a bottomless pit’
Activists believe the airport is unsuitable for large commercial traffic due to its location among many residential areas. The airport also has a lot of competition due to seven airports within an hour’s drive, most notably Bierset near Liège.
Parliament will decide today on the future of the airport. The majority want to ensure the survival of the airport by investing around 182 million euros until 2040.
The PS announced today that it wants a referendum on the airport in March.
