“What’s wrong with me?” – news Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio

The politicians in Drammen want to decide who will be settled in the city. The handball result decision 29-28 led to tears and anger in the town hall, and the debate raged on nationally. Both the Prime Minister and the President of the Storting came to the scene. Just over 20 years after football’s scandalous “battles in Drammen”, it is the battle for Drammen – or the battle for the Drammen decision – that dominates the news. Is it right for a municipality to decide that they would prefer to only settle refugees from Ukraine? Have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the case. Challenged by the youth Ronja Bajalan is head of the youth council in Drammen municipality. She says she has received many inquiries in the last week. – I was quite speechless when the decision was made, because this is not what Drammen is known for. We refer to ourselves as a city for everyone, and this creates a clear distinction. “What’s wrong with me?” “Shouldn’t I be here?” Ronja Bajalan, head of the youth council in Drammen municipality Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news – But there are integration projects in Drammen, right? asked Fredrik Solvang. – Yes, and I completely agree with that. But I think that if there are such big problems, then there are other ways of solving it than making such a decision. They can ask for help and support from the state, a better Norwegian offer and support at an earlier age. Do you think they do what the state does? In the debate, presenter Fredrik Solvang tried to get a clearer answer to why Drammen wants Ukrainians over others. – For me, it is important to try to help those who come to Drammen in a good way, so that they have a good life in Drammen. It is on the same lines as they do at the state level, so we align ourselves, considering who is most in need now. The state has reduced the quota to 1,000 refugees in order to make room for Ukrainians, replied mayor Kjell Arne Hermansen (H). Mayor Kjell Arne Hermansen (R) Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN – But surely the 1,000 come without the Ukrainians? – They come from other countries, yes. – Why not someone other than Ukrainians? – We have not said that we will not settle anyone else, but we ask that Ukrainians be considered, Hermansen replies. Jon Helgheim (Frp) believes they are doing as the state does by prioritizing Ukrainians. – For a number of years, we have received many refugees in Drammen, but now the capacity has been exceeded. But we have stretched ourselves to accept more, since there is war in our immediate areas, he says. Jon Helgheim (Frp), Kjell Arne Hermansen (H) and Turid Thomassen (KrF). Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news Regrets The case will be assessed by the State Administrator, who will check the legality. Turid Thomassen in KrF has said for a week that she thought it was difficult to vote for, and repeated it on Tuesday evening. In addition, she admits that she hopes the State Administrator recognizes the decision she voted for as illegal. – I felt I was in a pressured situation, and did not want to be the one who failed a collaboration. There will always be give and take in politics, but you can’t do that without screaming, to give your heart out, she says. Turid Thomassen in KrF has said for a week that she thought it was difficult to vote for, and repeated it on Tuesday evening. Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news – If you had the opportunity again, would you vote differently? – Yes. Or no, then I would ask for a postponement proposal. Will accept 125 refugees The municipal board in Drammen decided last week that the municipality will be able to accept 125 refugees this year, and that they want them to be from Ukraine. The text proposal that was initially approved by the majority was characterized as possibly unlawful by the municipal attorney. It was adjusted somewhat, before it was knocked through in the town hall. 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. – Discriminating people is punishable. The mayor disclaims all responsibility here, because he has voted for the decision. They have not denied the text that was put forward in the main committee, even though it was changed, says Simon Nordanger (Sp). Tony Burner (SV) also believes it is discriminatory. – Because the decision in the chairmanship and main committee was adopted, before it was embellished a little. Such proposals should have been negotiated before the decision in the chairmanship, he says. Magnus Ekle Lund (V), Tony Burner (SV) and Jon Helgheim (Frp) before the broadcast on Tuesday. Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news Magnus Ekle Lund (V) believes that the arguments of the majority in Drammen are not valid. – What is disgusting is to say that it is so difficult to integrate so many of those who already live in Drammen. Four out of ten of those in our food queues in Drammen are Ukrainians, he says. The state administrator must now make a legality assessment. Call it symbolic politics – Drammen is probably a test balloon, to see if it can also work elsewhere in the country. Jon Helgheim, who has been at the forefront of this, is also head of communications for the FRP in the Storting. I think they are testing this proposal in Drammen, says Dag Inge Fjeld, who is a lecturer at Høyskolen Kristiania. Fjeld, who is a former FRP politician, believes that Helgheim has succeeded well in maintaining control, not least by bringing the Conservative Party along. – These are not the kinds of issues the Conservative Party usually stands for. So it is a good piece of Machiavellian craftsmanship from Helgheim, says Fjeld, who calls it symbolic politics: – Because in reality nine out of ten asylum seekers to Norway are actually Ukrainians, so there is no real reason for the decision that has been made. Reputation expert Dag Inge Fjeld believes Drammen is being used as a test balloon. Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news Both Jon Helgheim (Frp) and mayor Kjell Arne Hermansen (H) explain the decision by saying that Drammen has challenges with integration after having settled many people over time. The decision was adopted by a majority which also includes KrF and the Pensioners’ Party. – We prioritize refugees from our local area, just as the state has done. Norway has reduced the number of quota refugees. So those who criticize us now sit in a government that has prioritized in the same way at national level, says Hermansen. Reputation-destroying On Monday, BI professor Tor Bang said that Drammen’s reputation has been built up so well over time that it is not harmed by this. Fjeld believes that the “debate about Drammen” is potentially very harmful. – A good reputation must be used both to create pride for those who live in Drammen, but not least to compete for immigrants. It’s about getting people who think it will be a bit too cramped and too expensive to live in Oslo to consider Drammen, he says. He has looked at Kantar surveys from the past four years, and says that Drammen there seems to be very attractive. – The city is over-represented by having a highly educated middle class with good purchasing power, who are interested in culture and, so to speak, the “perfect” residents you want and for whom other cities around Oslo are trying to compete. If Drammen gets a stamp as the racist city and it is talked about around the lunch tables in Oslo, then it is bad in terms of reputation. Has your view of Drammen changed after the refugee decision? It has become more negative It has become more positive Unchanged Show result The debate is about immigration. Despite the reputational challenge, Fjeld does not believe in an immediate relocation. – It’s not like people are now considering moving elsewhere, but over time an impression can be created that Drammen is an inhospitable and very cold society, which really only engages in symbolic politics. Hello! Welcome to dialogue at news. Since you are logged in to other news services, you do not have to log in again here, but we need your consent to our terms of use for online dialogue



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