53 per cent of those questioned answered that they think the decision to prioritize Ukrainian refugees is negative. Only 23 percent say they think the decision is positive. This is revealed in a survey carried out by Norstat on behalf of news. Mads Motrøen says that the vast majority of people have heard the debate about the refugee decision in Drammen. Photo: Halldor Asvall / news – First of all, we see that many people have an opinion about this. Only 5 percent answer that they do not know, which is relatively low when it comes to such matters, says Mads Motrøen. He is responsible for political surveys in Norstat. – So there are many people who have taken it on board, and who have an opinion about it. On 13 February, the municipal council in Drammen decided that they only want to accept Ukrainian refugees. The wording in the original decision is the reason why many thought this was clear discrimination between people. This is how the decision was changed: This was the wording in the decision from the chairmanship: We believe that the municipal board, in the current situation of war in our immediate area, is obliged to prioritize refugees from Ukraine over other nationalities. The municipal board believes that the integration act’s intention is that housing should take place where there is the greatest possibility of being integrated. With the high proportion of non-Western immigrants that Drammen already has, it will be a hindrance to integration to settle even more people with a non-Western background. This is because the resources must be used to solve the integration challenges we all have with this group, before more are added. Against this background, the municipal council requests that Ukrainian refugees be resettled. This formulation was adopted by the municipal council: We believe that the municipal council, in the current situation of war in our immediate area, is obliged to prioritize refugees from Ukraine. Against this background, the municipal council requests that Ukrainian refugees be resettled. Positively surprised After a lot of media pressure, which culminated in participation in the Debate with subsequent questioning by Fredrik Solvang, the mayor of Drammen, Kjell Arne Hermansen (H), is tired. After the Debate, he had his hat passed by several mediums. The Drammen politicians were grilled by Fredrik Solvang in the Debate this week. Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news He admits that there has been a lot lately, and that the week has been long. But in light of all the attention the case has received, he is not surprised that most of the respondents in the survey are negative about the decision. – With the media pressure locally and nationally, I was probably surprised that the number was not even higher, he says. – What do you think about the fact that most people are negative about the decision you have helped vote for? – I have to take note of that, replies Hermansen. He underlines that the intention of the decision is something different from what he believes has emerged in the media. – With the debate that has taken place, it is natural that one thinks that Drammen has seen things on the agenda in the wrong way, he says. Women most negative 23 percent of the population are somewhat or very positive about the proposal. Most of them are men who think the decision is positive. – We see that approximately one in three men are positive. Then we see that 56 percent of women are negative. There is then a preponderance of women who are somewhat or very negative, says Mads Motrøen. He says this is as expected. – There are different attitudes between the sexes on immigration issues in general, he says. This is how the survey was answered Willing to look forward Kjell Arne Hermansen is keen to look forward, and he hopes that the residents of the city will join in on that. On Friday, a torchlight procession against discrimination and differential treatment will be organised. The mayor will participate, and he will hold an appeal afterwards. – Isn’t it strange that you take part in a torchlight procession that is organized against the background of the decision that has been made? – It can probably be perceived as strange, but I don’t feel that it is strange. I stand behind the slogan that we should build a we society, and I fully support that. Before the municipal council meeting in Drammen on 13 February, many demonstrated against what became a decision. Photo: Balsharan Kaur / news – Then we get to work on and look ahead in a good way. It is important that we talk together and find good solutions going forward, he says. He says that he has invited the immigration council to a meeting at his office just before the winter holidays. – I think we Drammensars are good at looking ahead and being proud of the municipality we live in, so I think we will get over this, he says.
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A new survey shows that most people are negative about the controversial refugee decision in Drammen – news Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio
