The government has been slaughtered by aid organizations to move aid money to Ukrainian refugees in Norway. Now the LO management is also signing up.
Less than 20 minutes ago
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– We believe that it is of course completely right that Norway stands up for the Ukrainian refugees. But we believe it should not go beyond the development assistance budget, says LO’s first secretary Julie Lødrup, to VG.
Next week, delegates from all over the country will gather for the LO congress. IN a statement The LO secretariat has approved, which will be processed there, they go a long way in criticizing the government’s aid cuts.
They do the same in one consultation response to the government’s revised budget, where they point out that almost 10 percent of the development assistance money that was planned to be spent abroad, will be reallocated in Norway. They characterize it as “unfortunate”.
– It is not common that you think so much about the development assistance budget?
– Now we are in an exceptional situation, because the refugee situation from Ukraine requires that we spend money. The main point is that we should support spending money on it, but that there is no reason for it to go beyond the development assistance budget, says Lødrup.
– Will need more
That the government chooses to cut – or re-prioritize – four billion in the development assistance budget, has upset Norwegian aid organizations.
The government have also received strong criticism in the UN organizations UNICEF and UNDP. In a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “worried” about the consequences, according to the government.
– The UN Secretary-General asks countries to increase aid, not reduce it, says Lødrup in LO.
–She emphasizes that spending money on development assistance has no inflation-driving effect here in Norway.
– So even though we otherwise have a tight budget, there is no reason to reduce there, when it does not contribute to inflation, she says.
Despite cuts, the development assistance budget for 2022 will be a record high in total. In total, it will amount to 1.09 per cent of the national income GNI this year.
– Absolutely, and we are very happy about that. But more money will be needed for democracy and human rights support, says Lødrup about it.
She says the need for assistance is record high, not least due to increased food and energy prices, which will make the need even greater.
– Norway is one of the countries that has the best conditions for providing assistance. We believe that all countries should follow up, but then it is all the more important that we do the same.
– Hope the government listens
Henriette K. Westhrin, Secretary General of Norwegian People’s Aid, has taken a hard line against the government and describes the cuts as “hair-raising”. She has noticed the proposal from the LO management.
– We know that it has not been adopted yet, but the secretariat has recommended it. The fact that we get LO so clearly in telling the government that it is not possible to choose between the war in Ukraine and other crises and wars, is very good. I really hope that the government parties will listen to LO in this matter here, she says to VG.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been presented with the criticism, and does not wish to respond before the statement is considered at the LO congress.
Previously, Minister for Development Aid Anne Beate Tvinnereim (Sp) has defended the priority by point out that the development assistance budget is at a record high despite the re-prioritisations, and that Changing governments have used the development assistance budget to finance refugee expenditure in Norway.
– The most important thing is that they get help, not whether they get it in Norway or elsewhere. This is in the middle of what is aid, says Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) previously told VG.
Want a nuclear weapons ban
It is not just about aid that the LO leadership opposes: in the proposal the statementwhich is about Ukraine and condemns the Putin regime, they also propose a controversial position on peace and disarmament in a new security situation.
The secretariat proposes to work for Norway to take a leading role in NATO in abolishing nuclear weapons – and signs the UN treaty banning nuclear weapons.
The Labor Party and Prime Minister Støre have previously rejected that Norway will accede to the treaty. Norway shall nevertheless participate as observers at a conference with the countries working for the ban this summer, in conflict with NATO line.
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