The debate post expresses the writer’s opinions.
Everyone who believes that Oslo has a moral and socio-political responsibility to have a prison within the municipal boundary should also do so.
“I have tried everything I can, but now the case is dead and buried.” said Johansen to Avisa Oslo after he had informed the Minister of Justice about the lack of political support in Oslo for the state’s prison plans.
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The statement is startling. Had he tried “everything he could” for a new and larger prison to be built on Bredtvet, contrary to the Oslo Labor Party’s annual meeting decision? Has he quietly, since 2015, walked behind the back of his own party? It looks that way.
Perhaps it is electoral tactical reasons that are the reason why Raymond Johansen has for a long time kept a low media profile in this heated political case, or answered in the negative the few times he has given a comment.
“I think the Bredtvet alternative seems not very relevant. The city council is critical of a new large-scale prison here, and I do not think it will be realized. ” he said to Aftenposten after the then Minister of Justice proposed an expansion of Bredtvet in 2021.
A new election is approaching. Johansen understands that it will be impossible for him and the party to campaign in the important Groruddal districts at the same time as he fights to build a large new prison there. Therefore, it was not surprising that he threw the cards, and left the responsibility to the Conservatives. Avisa Oslo’s political commentator followed up and wrote that “It is a shame for the city and a social-political scandal that the Conservatives are torpedoing the possibility of a majority in the city council for the construction of a new Oslo prison on Bredtvet.”
Also read: Struggled with prisoner with iron bar in prison: Had no consequences
The Conservatives are in favor of a new and modern prison in Oslo, but not in Bredtvet if it takes a toll on the free areas. Here we stand together with a broad and cross-political majority in Oslo, and everyone who has been locally involved in preserving the green area. The time when a green recreation area is the same as an undeveloped plot is over. We thought the city council leader knew that.
Now we risk that Oslo prison ends up outside the city. It’s sad. Unfortunately, the city council leader and the city council have not done their job in this case either. Has Johansen done “everything he can”, and for example proposed alternative plots in Oslo? In January this year, Statsbygg presented the report Location Clarification. Here they write that the state encouraged both private actors and municipalities to record suitable plots for a new prison. There were two main criteria. The plots had to be a maximum of 45 minutes driving time, excluding rush hour traffic, from central Oslo, and be at least 65 meters. Plots in Oslo could be smaller.
Also read: You get sicker from serving time in Norwegian prisons
The local politicians in Asker, Lillestrøm, Lier, Drammen, Enebakk, Indre Østfold, Aurskog Høland, Nes and Lunner municipalities threw themselves around and recorded concrete proposals for where a new prison could be located. According to Statsbygg, a total of 51 proposals were received. None of them from the city council in Oslo, but a private real estate company proposed a plot on Haugenstua. That was all.
The report states about the Bredtvet alternative that; “Political signals from the sitting city council must be changed if it is to be probable with a municipal planning decision.” If Raymond Johansen has done “everything he can” for Oslo to have its own prison, he has certainly hidden his tracks well, or done an extremely bad job.
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The consequences must be borne by ordinary people. Prison care employees, the inmates and their relatives. The process is miserably handled by the city council leader personally, and can cost him dearly.
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