FRP will not accept any refugees in Drammen next year – NRK Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio

Anger, shock, grief. There were many emotions when the municipal council in Drammen made its controversial refugee decision earlier this year. It led to debate in columns and on TV – and harassment in comedy shows and social media. And a torch train in the river town.

February 13: With 29 to 28 votes, the municipal council decided to request that future refugees to be settled in the city must come from Ukraine.

April 9: After great debate nationally and several rounds locally, the case ended in a legality assessment by the State Administrator. The conclusion was that the decision is discriminatory and contrary to the constitution.

The FRP did not like this, and then announced a possible rematch if Drammen will accept the 125 refugees the municipality has agreed to.

Monday evening: The FRP has had a group board meeting, and has decided to agree to 125 this year, reports Drammens Tidende.

Will close the borders next year

There is thus a majority in favor of this, the evening before Tuesday’s municipal council meeting.

– More than half are already residents, so reducing the number now is not appropriate and will cost a lot of money. The decision for this year will therefore stand, writes Jon Helgheim (Frp) on Facebook.

However, he announces new rounds with a view to 2025:

– Since the state does not allow Drammen to settle the refugees we think we can settle, the FRP believes that we must stop settling refugees. Next year the FRP will therefore demand zero refugees, and we expect to get a majority for that.

Reacted to Støre statements

The majority parties in Drammen pointed to the situation in Ukraine, and that there was war in Norway’s immediate areas when they voted in February. In addition, Helgheim stated that Ukrainians were “easier” to settle than some other refugees.

Several ministers took part, including Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Helgheim thought that was an untimely intervention.

In a survey conducted by Norstat on behalf of NRK, 53 percent said they thought the decision was negative. 23 percent thought the decision was positive.

– I am surprised that the number is not even higher, said mayor Kjell Arne Hermansen (H).

– Gloomy backdrop

The state administrator’s decision did not come as a surprise to the politicians.

– I completely disagree with the decision, but not surprised. It must be difficult to come to a different conclusion after the prime minister made strong arguments that the decision in Drammen was illegal. It was a blister, Helgheim said.

– A gloomy backdrop, but it is a happy thing that the State Administrator has stopped the madness that has been allowed to play out under the auspices of the Frp in the municipal council, said Simon Nordanger (Sp).

Turid Solberg Thomassen (KrF) voted for the decision to keep cooperation in the municipal council, but said from the podium that she felt like shit.

– This is completely in line with what I have meant all along, that the decision is discriminatory. Now we have to make a new decision that is not discriminatory, said Thomassen in April.