– Sensational and unheard of! It can not be the case that we should give the bluff in local democracy in small municipalities and only respect decisions made in the big cities, says the Center Party’s long-standing parliamentary representative and municipal political spokesperson Heidi Greni to news. The Center Party’s Heidi Greni takes a hard line against the mayors of the eight large municipalities that have moved out against the government. Photo: Vidar Ruud / NTB scanpix – It is the prelude to this case that is about overtaking local democracy in Søgne and Songdalen. When the mayor of Bærum talks about the government acting disrespectfully, it was on the contrary the previous government that behaved like this when the two municipalities were forcibly merged with Kristiansand, she continues. Earlier today, the political leadership of the so-called metropolitan network of KS joined forces to criticize the government for the decision to allow a referendum on municipal dissolution in Kristiansand. In a joint statement, Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Kristiansand, Tromsø, Bærum and Drammen stated that the government must immediately end the report on whether Kristiansand municipality should be divided again. “It is an unacceptable overthrow of local democracy,” the statement said. – Meaningless Among those who support the appeal are seven out of eight from the Labor Party. These include city council leaders Raymond Johansen in Oslo, Roger Valhammer in Bergen and mayor Rita Ottervik in Trondheim. Ottervik uses words such as “sensational” and “meaningless” when describing the situation in Kristiansand. – Not least, I have thought of the mayor of Kristiansand, who is in a bit of a struggle. But he should know that here we support him around the country, she says to news. Ottervik emphasizes that she is neither a supporter of a forced merger nor a forced division. – I believe that here one must have respect for local democracy, says Ottervik, who receives a response to the indictment from the Center Party: – There is no question of forcibly dissolving a municipality, even if it was forcibly merged. This is about letting the inhabitants of Søgne and Songdalen have their say. There can be three outcomes: Both can say yes to secession or no to secession, or they can each draw their own conclusion, says Greni. Disrespectful Mayor Lisbeth Hammer Krogh (H) is the only one of the city leaders who does not represent the Labor Party. She calls the case sensational. – This case is fundamentally principled, and that is why it is so serious. That a government can override a democratically made decision by the city council in Kristiansand, the highest body, we just can not have it in the Norwegian administration. – I experience this as disrespectful, she adds. Mayor Jan Oddvar Skisland in Kristiansand leads the metropolitan network of KS. But the criticism meets with little understanding from the Center Party. – I am surprised by the wording and the tone. The Center Party has gone to the polls on this issue, so this can possibly come as no surprise to some of the mayors. This amazes me enormously, says Greni. Calls on Støre Labor leader and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has had to endure strong criticism from party colleagues in Sørlandet for handling the case. When he visits Kristiansand on Monday, he must prepare for clear speech. – It is to convey that this has created an incredible amount of frustration with us. We must have a round on how it could happen, but otherwise we have to think about how we can move forward, says mayor Jan Oddvar Skisland to news. But among the Center Party’s people, the Labor leader gets the very best shots for handling the case. – He has done a very good job and has stood up for local democracy, says Greni. It was not until yesterday that it was clarified that Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will visit Kristiansand before the summer. It happens on Monday. He stated to news yesterday that the government’s decision is firm. The same message was repeated on Friday by party secretary Kjersti Stenseng in a text message to Aftenposten. – The decision has been made, the procedures and the process for which the Minister of Local Government is responsible, she writes.
ttn-69
– Unheard – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
