The case in summary: Stord municipality is considering adopting a freeze on refugees from next year due to financial challenges and a lack of housing and permanent doctors. Municipal director Tommy Johansen has presented a budget proposal with cuts of NOK 75 million. Thousands of hired workers in the industry need housing, which increases the pressure on the housing market. Mayor Sigbjørn Framnes (Frp) says the refugee cut will provide savings of between NOK 3.5 and 4 million, and will also ease the pressure on the housing market and the healthcare system. The Labor Party, which is the largest opposition party, has already decided to oppose the proposal for a refugee freeze. ————————————-The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – I am very happy about the high level of activity in the business world. But the side effect is that the prices for rental housing are very high, and it becomes expensive for us to rent to refugees, says mayor Sigbjørn Framnes (Frp). Stord municipality has taken in 265 refugees since 2022. Now that may come to an end. Municipal director Tommy Johansen believes that the politicians must adopt a complete stop from next year. Three of the parties in the majority coalition in the municipal council, consisting of Høgre, Frp, KrF and Venstre, inform news that they see no other alternative and therefore support the proposal. The Liberals have not taken a position on the proposal, but their party’s one representative is not necessary to get a majority. Everything therefore points to a majority for the decision when the municipal council meeting will deal with the matter on 28 November. – Drastic The reason is that the municipal economy is going badly. In addition, there is a shortage of both housing and fixed-term care. The integration of Ukrainians is also taking longer than the municipality envisioned. – There is a total package here which means that we are going to what many would think is a drastic proposal, says Johansen. He recently put forward a budget proposal to cut 45 man-years, among the 4.5 man-years in the refugee service in Nav. Municipal director Tommy Johansen is proposing several painful cuts in the budget for next year. Stord municipality is likely to have a deficit of NOK 100 million this year. Photo: Eli Bjelland / news Thousands of hired workers need housing The island municipality is struggling financially, but the industry is on the rails. Among other things, Aker Solutions Stord, which is Norway’s largest offshore shipyard, is located here. Large assignments require several thousand traveling workers, but it is difficult to find housing for everyone who comes. Mayor Sigbjørn Framnes (Frp) says the refugee cut will provide savings of between NOK 3.5 and 4 million, and will also ease the pressure on the housing market and the healthcare system. The governing coalition has not yet reached a conclusion on the matter. – I personally think this is a sensible proposal from the municipal director. It is of course not a good feeling to say no to people who need help, but we have to take care of those who have come too, says local team leader in KrF, Gunnhild Hystad. This year, Norway’s largest floating production vessel, Johan Castberg, was completed at Aker Solutions in Stord. Several thousand hired workers were then on the move. Photo: Silje Katrine Robinson / NTB Almost all municipalities participated in the charity Since 2022, around 85,000 refugees have arrived from Ukraine. Almost all Norwegian municipalities have taken part in housing them. This year, there are only six municipalities that have decided not to accept any refugees, according to figures from the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDI). The municipalities concerned are: Moskenes (Nordland) Måsøy (Finnmark) Berlevåg (Finnmark) Utsira (Rogaland) Bygland (Agder) Rakkestad (Østfold) Three of them have less than 1,000 inhabitants. Stord municipality has more than 19,000 inhabitants. The municipal sector’s organization (KS) has not received a signal about several municipalities that may adopt a full refugee freeze for next year. – Some signal that they want to reduce the number of refugees, but I have not heard of such large municipalities considering a complete shutdown. That’s what Nina Gran, who is head of immigration and integration at KS, says. Many Ukrainian refugees Norwegian municipalities are likely to be asked to accept 18,900 refugees next year. This is a decrease from this year, when the encouragement was to receive 37,000. IMDI sends out the final figures at the end of November. Most of them still come from Ukraine, but the authorities have now tightened their rights. – The efforts of the municipalities in recent years have been formidable. At the same time, the extensive resettlement has to varying degrees put pressure on municipal services, and this may affect how many people they will accept next year, says assistant director of IMDI, Halwan Ibrahim. – Embarrassing and damaging to the reputation The municipalities are compensated for the costs of settling refugees, but not fully. Calculations from KS show that the integration grant covers around 92 per cent of the actual expenses. Subsidy for adult education covers around 80 per cent. The budget negotiations in Stord municipality have started. The Labor Party, which is the largest opposition party, has already decided to oppose the proposal for a refugee freeze. In all years, the municipality has had decisions to house refugees, statistics from IMDI show, which go back to 1995. – This is a charity that I also have a public responsibility to participate in. It will look very bad and is embarrassing If not, Stord should help take that responsibility, believes group leader in Stord Ap, Gaute Straume Epland. Gaute Straume Epland in the Labor Party clearly says no to a refugee freeze next year. Photo: Eli Bjelland / news Published 09.11.2024, at 07.49
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– Pinleg – news Vestland
