“Words are power. I have used the wrong word”, writes the mayor of Sør-Varanger on his Facebook page. Only days after he went out and put forward the proposal to remove the “Russian” signs in Kirkenes, he therefore changes his opinion. In a post, he writes that he is not going to remove the street signs, which have long caused debate in the local community. Most recently, it was LO Sør-Varanger that came out strongly against the Conservative mayor and believed that he is creating discord and polarization among people. – I have my opinion, but I don’t have a majority on my own. Now I am finished with this case, he says to news. No matter where you go in the center of Kirkenes, you can see both Norwegian and “Russian” street signs. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news Returning to the use of words In the post, Mæland writes that he expressed what he said about the sign removal because he wants to show distance from the Putin regime, not from Russians. He goes back on some of the wording he has come up with in recent days. Because in his proposal to remove the street signs, he is said to have also said that he wants to change the municipality’s “identity”. Using that word he admits was wrong. He did not want to change the identity, but the direction of the municipality. “The new direction is for us to get business space for small and medium-sized businesses. The new direction is for the defense to grow and invest in our municipality. The new direction is for us to have business policy tools […] The new direction is that we use technology and digitization to provide services in a new way.” In addition, he wants NATO allies to be allowed to practice in Eastern Finnmark, which they are not allowed to do today. Torbjørn Brox Webber of LO Sør-Varanger believes that the whole sign debate has only been symbolic politics without practical significance. Photo: Karen Gjetrang / news – Symbol politics Torbjørn Brox Webber in LO Sør-Varanger was not directly surprised that Mæland turned around. – It is very good that he has thought, and that he has thought through the fact that it is not possible to adopt a new identity for people who live in this municipality. Brox Webber believes that the entire sign debate Mæland has led has only been symbolic politics without practical significance. – It is an issue that contributes to more conflict. It will not stop the terrible warfare that Russia and Putin are waging in Ukraine, says Brox Webber. Mæland ends his post by admitting that everyone can make mistakes and change. – I always want to change when I meet good counter-arguments and people who think differently to me. Published 19.09.2024, at 21.27 Updated 19.09.2024, at 21.35
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Will not remove “Russian” signs – news Troms and Finnmark
