In June, the flag rose to the top when it became clear that the Storting agreed to allow Haram to become its own municipality. Haram was forcibly merged with Ålesund in 2017 and angry residents had fought to get out of the large municipality. But now comes the bill. For Ålesund municipality, it will cost as much as NOK 237 million to cover the costs of separating Haram. It is more than the entire amount set aside in the state budget for county and municipal divisions. The residents of Haram got what they wanted when Haram became its own municipality. Photo: Per-Ivar Kvalsvik / news Will be clear Now a broad majority of the politicians in Ålesund will ask the Storting to change the decision to separate Haram from Ålesund if not all the costs linked to municipal division are covered by the state. – We do not want a rematch. But we will clarify the assumptions that the costs will be covered. If that doesn’t happen, we will have to cut the municipal budget, and that will hit hard, says Svein Rune Johannesen (Ap). The government has promised the three counties of Viken, Troms and Finnmark, Vestfold and Telemark plus Ålesund municipality to cover the costs that are absolutely necessary. Monica Molvær (H) is strongly critical of the government’s proposal. Photo: Trond Vestre / news In the state budget, the government has allocated NOK 200 million. But a review carried out by Dagbladet shows that it will cost NOK 838 million to dissolve the three counties and Ålesund. Right-wing politician Monica Molvær in Ålesund believes they have been misled. – This is a mockery. If this is not cleaned up, the dream of freedom will become a nightmare for those who live in the Haram. Fearing the consequences Several of the politicians in the chairmanship in Ålesund said that they fear that the sum will be higher than NOK 237 million, and that they will be left with most of the bill themselves. Ålesund has major financial challenges and the risk of both Ålesund and Haram ending up on the Robek list is high. Ending up on this list means that it is the State Administrator who will decide whether you can take out loans and enter into long-term leases – There is an 80-90 percent chance of that happening, says Svein Rune Johannessen (Ap). This is the Robek list 2022 In 2001, the municipalities were given greater freedom. The state stopped approving budgets and new loans. Now the municipalities had to stand completely on their own two feet. The result was discouraging: Every fourth Norwegian municipality was unable to manage the money and within a few years ended up on a list of municipalities in financial imbalance. The list was named Register of conditional approval and control (Robek). At most, 118 municipalities were listed (2004). Since the peak year, this number has steadily decreased. In 2019, the number was a record low: only 10 municipalities. Torsken municipality in Troms has the dubious honor of having been the longest on the list. The small municipality has been on the list since its inception in 2001 – and has always been on the list until the municipal merger with Senja in 2020. 19 municipalities are on the Robek list at the start of 2022, of which seven are Nordic municipalities. (Nesna, Træna, Saltdal, Fauske, Lødingen, Moskenes and Hamarøy) – Uselessly the Center Party voted against the proposal to drop the division if the municipality cannot cover all costs. Lisa Alvestad, who is the leader of Haram Senterparti, thumbs down the proposal, which she believes is frivolous. – It has always been said that there are necessary costs that are covered, and that has not changed. I think it is strange to come up with such a proposal now. Lisa Alvestad (Sp) is critical of the speech that the municipality has put forward. Photo: Trond Vestre / news Alvestad believes that there is a large part of the budget that cannot be considered as necessary costs. As an example, she cites a communication budget of NOK 6 million, which she believes should be NOK 1 million. – Our job is to submit a sober and well-reasoned budget to the ministry. It is not as of now. I am disappointed that my fellow politicians are trying their hand at a rematch instead of helping to create a sensible budget. Receives criticism But Alvestad receives criticism from KrF politician Tore Johan Øvstebø. He denies that this is an attempt at a rematch. – It surprises me that she spends energy on keeping the Government in this case, when Ålesund is almost on the Robek list and has presented a scientifically based budget for the division.
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Fears financial ruin if the government does not pay for the divorce
