With a cry of distress, Alfred Bjørlo of the Liberal Party got through in the Storting: Now state workplaces will not be moved out of big cities other than Oslo. A majority in the Storting believes so. Thus, they want to change the government’s district policy. – I am incredibly relieved because this has been a drama like no other, says Bjørlo. The vote ended 85–84 in favor of Venstre. Patient focus became tongue in cheek. “Westland rebellion” A growing “Westland rebellion” has recently risen against the government. One of the central battles revolves around the government’s policy for the decentralization of state workplaces. It is particularly linked to the fact that leading positions in the Directorate of Fisheries have been moved from Bergen to Tromsø. The Støre government has extended the Solberg government’s policy of moving state jobs out of Oslo, to state jobs also being moved out of “other big cities”. This caused, among others, Venstre’s parliamentary representative Alfred Bjørlo to react strongly. VICTORY: Liberal Alfred Bjørlo won with his proposal in the Storting, Monday. Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB – Now the government must change course His proposal to scrap the sentence about “other big cities” was first postponed in the Storting. First, the case was postponed. Last Thursday, the case was taken up again and ended in a draw. Again the case had to be postponed. On Monday, he won by one vote. – Now the government must change course. Now we have to come up with a unifying national strategy to build Western Norway, says Bjørlo and adds: – I think the vast majority of people agree that in order to develop Norway it is good that the big cities don’t “steal” jobs from each other. So far, news has not succeeded in getting a comment from the Minister for Municipalities and Districts Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp) on the matter.
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State workplaces must not be moved out of cities other than Oslo – news Vestland
