– Pain deep in the soul – news Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio

– I have crossed the line beyond what I can actually tolerate. That’s why I’m not feeling well. It hurts, deep in the soul, to have to try this out, which messes up my ethical compass so that no people groups should be treated differently. – It is a fundamentally racist way of thinking, says Turid Thomassen the day after the decision. She is upset and believes the FRP has acted unethically. KrF has a cooperation agreement with the Conservative Party, the FRP and the Pensioners’ Party. The proposal went through the municipal council with 29 to 28 votes in the municipal council in Drammen. Photo: Balsharan Pal Kaur / news She says that she was pressured that the FRP would break the entire cooperation agreement, if the KrF did not vote for the proposal. – Pushing this forward by pushing myself into a corner like a little mouse, and becoming a little piece of shit, is unethical when I think that several people within the FRP must know that this is illegal. On Tuesday evening, the municipal council in Drammen decided that they only want to accept Ukrainian refugees. The proposal went through with 29 to 28 votes. KrF was the tip of the scales. Turid Thomassen says that she had to vote against her own convictions. Photo: Caroline Utti / news The decision from the chairmanship was changed in the municipal council on Tuesday. This is how the decision was changed: This was the wording in the decision from the chairmanship: The municipal board believes that in the current situation of war in our immediate areas, we are obliged to prioritize refugees from Ukraine over other nationalities. The municipal board believes that the integration act’s intention is that settlement should take place where there is the greatest opportunity to be 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 already have with this group, before more are added. Against this background, the municipal council requests that Ukrainian refugees be settled. This wording was adopted by the municipal council: The municipal council believes that in the current situation of war in our immediate areas, we are obliged to prioritize refugees from Ukraine. Against this background, the municipal council requests that Ukrainian refugees be settled. Believes the debate is being stifled Frps Jon Helgheim does not want to answer to what extent KrF was pressured on the cooperation agreement. Jon Helgheim (Frp) believes the decision to accept only Ukrainian refugees is not about discrimination. Photo: Balsharan Pal Kaur / news – She can stand for what she thinks herself. There have been a lot of accusations of racism, unfounded claims, straw man arguments that are only suitable for gagging those who have different opinions than their own, and I have little sense of that, he says. Nevertheless, he understands that it was a difficult decision for KrF. But he has faith that Frp and KrF can continue to work together. – We have managed to get through a very difficult case now, and we have spoken well together and had a close dialogue over several days and I believe that we will continue with that. – Being in a partnership, it’s about sometimes you win, other times you feel like you lose, he says. Dissociates from the decision Deputy leader of KrF Dag Inge Ulstein dissociates himself from the decision made in the municipal council in Drammen. Photo: Silje Rognsvåg / news KrF central emphasizes that prioritizing only Ukrainian refugees is not in line with the party’s policy. – This is not KrF’s policy either locally or centrally. KrF is concerned that we should help people on the run, and that we should accept a significant proportion of quota refugees, says deputy chairman of KrF, Dag Inge Ulstein. KrFU also thinks the case is difficult. – We are against pitting vulnerable groups against each other. Refugees who have come to Norway and need help should get help, says county leader of KrFU Buskerud, Henos Habtab Weldegiorgis, and continues: – KrFU and KrF stand for a policy that fights for Norway to accept people on the run, whether it is elsewhere in the world or those who have come here to Norway. Therefore, I disagree with the decision that was made in Drammen and think it is the wrong way to go. Clearly affected from the rostrum Thomassen from KrF made several statements from the rostrum during the municipal council meeting, where she was clearly affected. – How will this end? For my part, it is possible to join this now, because of the war situation in Ukraine, but I will not join this several times. Then I’m either the reason for the breakup, or I’ll be thrown out, she said. After the meeting, she explained more about the situation she was in. – I have been clear that this violates our values, we should not discriminate between people, there is never a good reason to discriminate in that way, she says. Thomassen’s debate contribution in connection with the fact that the politicians in Drammen will prioritize refugees from Ukraine. Photo: Drammen municipality. Won’t be doing this again – I’ve been under more pressure than I’ve ever been. I have felt very alone, says Thomassen. She warns the FRP against putting pressure on the KrF again if the collaboration is to continue. – They cannot challenge on such things as we have had now, then it will be inedible. Otherwise, KrF cannot remain, and I as a person cannot be part of it, it is completely impossible, she says. The matter will now be followed up by the State Administrator with a legality check.



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