We will lose the opportunity to take care of our own if immigration continues as it has, says party leader of the Progress Party Sylvi Listhaug. At the weekend, the party had its autumn conference at Gardermoen. Listhaug then presented a proposal for an asylum seeker center abroad, similar to the scheme Britain has. The FRP has wanted such an arrangement since 2009, says the party leader. – The aim is to stop the asylum flows to Europe and stop the drownings in the Mediterranean. We also see that the EU wants to do this. All other parties are unfortunately opposed, but this is not sustainable, said Listhaug on Monday morning. Sylvi Listhaug, leader of the Progress Party, during the Political Quarter on Monday morning. Photo: David Skovly / news Minister of Labor and Inclusion and deputy leader of the Labor Party, Tonje Brenna, disagrees. She says the party can consider a possible arrangement, if there is a joint European effort behind it: – If an agreement is put in place in the EU, where we use common mechanisms to handle arrivals and ID clarifications in third countries, we are open for that. She also believes that “the vast majority” of Norwegian parties will be interested in looking at such a solution, should it become relevant. – But to pretend that Norway alone can handle what is happening as a consequence of war and unrest elsewhere in the world is an oversimplified picture, believes the deputy leader. Listhaug would like Norway to be at the forefront of this work. – Instead, we wait for everyone else to do the work. Listhaug: – The money flies Part of the debate was also about spending money and priorities. Listhaug pitted cuts in the municipalities and kroner spent on refugees against each other, and thinks the government’s priorities are the wrong money. – We spend approximately NOK 30 billion annually on measures related to immigration. Schools and nursing homes are being closed, while the government is conserving certain areas, says Listhaug, and mentions aid money and green battery factories as examples. She continues: – And then there is immigration, where the money flies. I believe that the Labor Party must be honest in saying that we must cut schools and care for the elderly, because we prioritize battery factories and immigration. Minister for Labor and Inclusion and Deputy Leader of the Labor Party Tonje Brenna. Photo: David Skovly / news Tonje Brenna believes Listhaug oversimplifies the debate and compares on the wrong basis. The money goes primarily to integration, is the message to the Ap deputy leader. – For its part, the FRP wants to cut all integration measures. The question then becomes what is most profitable. We spend money on integration to teach Norwegian and social studies and to prepare people for working life, says Brenna. – This will in turn lead to income for the municipalities, she adds. Has tightened She believes the good arrangements in Norway are increasing the number of refugees coming to the country, including from Ukraine. – We tightened when we saw there was a need for it, and will do it again if the need arises again, says Brenna. In September, the government decided that people coming from safe areas in Ukraine will no longer receive collective protection. Listhaug and Brenna also met in Politisk kvarter in September. Then they discussed, among other things, the Labor Party’s austerity measures, which Listhaug believes are not good enough. Although they disagree about a lot, there was a good atmosphere between Sylvi Listhaug and Tonje Brenna on their way out of the studio after the broadcast. Photo: David Skovly / news Published 11.11.2024, at 08.49
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The Labor Party opens an asylum seeker center abroad – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
