TRONDHEIM (Dagbladet): – It is completely incomprehensible. Corresponding projects in public infrastructure cost five times as much in Norway as in Finland. It is shocking, says Miikkael Azaize in the Finnish Centern.
Azaize is urban and international secretary in the Center Party’s sister party and visited Sp’s national meeting at the weekend. The civil economist has previously been secretary general of the Centerungdommen in Finland and meets Dagbladet together with SP deputy leader Ola Borten Moe.
He has just heard about the costs of some of the major public investments in Norway.
- The Fornebubanen can reach over 30 billion
- The recently opened Folloban ended at 36 billion
- The government quarter is expected to cost over 40 billion – after downscaling
- Oslo’s new water supply will amount to more than 20 billion
Woke settlement: – Sad
– Out of control
– There was a big scandal in Finland when there was a budget overrun on 28 km of new subway. The total cost ended up at NOK 22 billion. It is over three times as long as the Fornebubanen to be built in Oslo, says Azaize, and comes with a neighborhood council from Finland.
– If the money is not used correctly, we are stealing from future generations.
Ola Borten Moe quickly chimes in:
– I could not agree more.
In his speech to the national assembly, the SP deputy leader took issue with public spending in Norway. The worst examples are the runaway costs in the large construction projects.
– Costs are out of control in several projects. I sincerely believe that we could do much more in Norway – or reduce taxes – by using taxpayers’ money more efficiently, says Borten Moe.
– Meat-free dinner is not dinner
“Communist-Erna”
The Sp peak refers to the phasing in of oil money in the Norwegian economy, which rocketed during Erna Solberg’s eight years as prime minister.
In 2013, the use of oil money was 120 billion. In 2021, when Erna lost the election, it had risen to 400 billion.
– Public spending increased by one percentage point a year under Erna, to over 60 per cent of GDP. 40 years of Erna rule would have ended with a communist Norway without any private sector whatsoever, jokes Borten Moe, and emphasizes:
– It is far too easy to blame the Right. Here, all Norwegian politicians must go within themselves. The Norwegian state budget is almost three times as large as Finland’s and we have the same number of inhabitants. Finland is also a welfare state, they have a large defence, they had their emergency stocks in order when the pandemic hit. This is something we must think about very carefully.
Vegans react: – Behind the target
Halved NTNU development
Ola Borten Moe is not only Sp deputy leader, but also minister for higher education. He experienced a storm when he cut costs when the state budget was presented in the autumn.
– That does not mean that we should not spend money, but we must use it correctly. This applies across all sectors. In my sector, we find the example of NTNU and the campus collection. The project was to cost just under 12 billion, and had a very high price per square metre. Now it costs half as much, and we get much of the same, says Borten Moe before ending.
– It frees up money for other purposes. The savings on this project alone is around NOK 1,100 per Norwegian. So it is possible!
