There is broad agreement in the Storting on support for the government’s Ukraine package. The demand from several parties that aid funds must be excluded, did not receive a majority.
The recommendation from the finance committee was ready on Thursday. It states that the government receives support for the main lines of its proposal from all parties in the Storting.
– It is a strength for Norway that the Storting in a time of crisis gathers behind the government’s proposal to deal with the consequences of the war in Europe. It is crucial that we now receive refugees in a good way, strengthen the defense and emergency preparedness, says spokesman Geir Pollestad (Sp).
The government proposed measures totaling NOK 14.4 billion. Of this, NOK 10.7 billion will go to the reception of Ukrainian refugees in Norway. This means, among other things, more money for asylum reception centers, the police, integration grants, rental housing and settlement in the municipalities.
In addition, the Armed Forces and civil and military preparedness will be strengthened by NOK 3.5 billion. Money is also set aside to compensate the business community for sanctions against Russia, especially in eastern Finnmark.
Where the money will be taken from, the government will return to in the revised budget. The budget proposal will be presented on 12 May.
More for shelters and children
SV also got a majority to expand the package on some points. :
- * Pediatric expertise in asylum reception will be strengthened.
- * Increased staffing in shelters.
- * More money for lending centers where you can borrow equipment for sports and leisure activities for free.
It was important to get the changes included because there is an unusually large proportion of women and children among the refugees, says SV’s fiscal policy spokesperson Kari Elisabeth Kaski.
– We have seen that when it comes to shelters, you already notice an increased pressure. And at the receptions that now receive many children, they have too few employees, Kaski says to NTB.
– Rides his fads
The Conservatives did not support the enlargement. The party has previously announced that it was willing to support the government’s proposal as it was, but warned against entering into “a bidding round” with the other parties.
– It is a pity that they did not want to be part of it, but rather talked to SV and promised even more money, says Conservative fiscal policy spokeswoman Tina Bru.
– We can not treat crisis packages as ordinary budgets where all parties must negotiate their fads in order to provide support for absolutely necessary expenditure increases. There is a big difference between what we have to spend money on, and what would have been nice to spend money on, she says.
Aid debate continues
The question of where the money will be taken from will be the next stage when the government presents a proposal for a revised budget. Several parties – KrF, SV and MDG opposed the government to raise some funds from the development assistance budget. However, the proposal to exclude development assistance did not receive any proposals.
KrF calls it anti-social. The argument that increased spending means a risk that interest rates will increase here at home does not hold, says fiscal policy spokesman Kjell Ingolf Ropstad.
– The state’s extraordinary income must be used to finance the increased expenses for the reception of refugees from Ukraine. Continuing to provide assistance to the world’s poorest will not lead to increased inflation here at home. If Norway, which benefits greatly from the war, cannot refrain from cutting aid to finance refugee costs, then who will? he says.
(©NTB)
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