– Now we have seen the line and we will have peace. Now the municipalities will solve their tasks and do the job they have been assigned, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at Politisk Kvarter today. The government promised the inhabitants of Songdalen and Søgne a referendum on whether they would still be part of the large municipality of Kristiansand or not, contrary to the decision in the municipality itself. Støre admits that the aftermath of the municipal reform has been demanding for the government. – Things like this are rent. It strikes me when I see good party colleagues being disappointed, says Støre. Do not listen to Forsand Sp leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum has emphasized how important it is to listen to the inhabitants of the two former municipalities in Sørlandet. A little further west, in Rogaland, we also have similar citizens’ initiatives as those in Søgne and Songdalen. Here, the former Forsand municipality would be part of Strand municipality, and not Sandnes as they are part of today. The state administrator in Rogaland, Bent Høie, approved of the change. Here, the government chose not to listen to the citizens’ initiative. Minister of Local Government and District Affairs Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp) justified the decision in a press release stating that there have been several border changes in a short time, and that the initiative was not to bring the borders back. – If we ask people for advice, the advice should be followed. What has become of the party that listens to people and takes them seriously? said group leader for the Center Party in Forsand, Alf Heggheim. – Why does the government want to listen to people in Søgne and Songdalen, but not to people in Forsand? – These are two quite different cases. All of these cases have different origins. Here it would not be to change the borders back, but to make a new demarcation, says Støre. – Are they done listening to people who want changes in municipal boundaries? – Yes, now we will have peace. We are big in the face of an uncertain time and then we have to put an end to it, says Støre. Jonas Gahr Støre thinks the municipal affairs in Rogaland and in Agder are different. Here with State Secretary Siri Hytten. Photo: Mathias Moene Rød / news Was not a horse trade The decision on a referendum in the former municipalities in Sørlandet has been tough for the local Labor politicians in Kristiansand. In Rogaland, it was Labor mayor Stanley Wirak who emerged victorious from the municipal battle. Støre rejects that there should be a secret agreement between the governing party to defy local democracy and support a referendum in the former municipalities in Sørlandet, contrary to the Hurdal platform. – There are many such theories. If you sit in a government, there is a whole that must go up, he says. – Was it the Labor Party or the Center Party that got to say about Forsand? – The Minister of Local Government has delivered his decision. We agree on this, says Støre. – People in the districts are being ridiculed In Strand, mayor Irene Heng Lauvsnes (H) is provoked that Støre is putting a lid on new changes in municipal boundaries. – This is so undemocratic. People in the districts are being fooled, she tells news. Lauvsnes meiner Støre lacks basic knowledge about the geography and everyday life in Ryfylke in Rogaland. Støre’s argument does not hold up, she says. – It’s a camera assignment. In this case, Støre has only heard from one person, and that is the Labor Party mayor in Sandnes. Now he and Trygve Slagsvold Vedum must come and clean up, she says. Prime Minister Støre did not have the right to comment on the statement from the Strand mayor. Strand mayor Irene Heng Lauvsnes (H) is provoked that Støre will put a lid on municipal disputes. Photo: Magnus Stokka / news Do not think it will be calm Støre’s party colleague and mayor of Kinn municipality, Ola Teigen (Labor Party), also thinks Støre’s statement is unfortunate. – Big victory, there will be peace in the future. I do not believe in that, says Teigen. Kinn municipality is often referred to as Norway’s strangest municipality and has commissioned a report on municipal splitting to the Ministry of Local Government and District. – We are going to say clearly that what is happening now is particularly unfortunate for us, he says.
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– Now we have seen the line – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
