Clear space now! – VG

Less than 40 minutes ago

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The government announced last week that they will hold a referendum in the old Søgne and Songdalen municipality on divorce from Kristiansand.

The Labor Party and the Socialist People’s Party’s government declaration, the Hurdal platform, states that dissolution can only take place after an application from the municipal council. Kristiansand said no on December 1 last year and thought the case was over.

The decision in the city council was made by 39 to 32 votes.

But now the government wants to overtake Kristiansand City Council – to the disappointment and frustration of the Labor Party in the southern municipality.

– It is heavy for Kristiansand. There is a need for clean-up. We must get a good explanation of how this could happen, said Labor mayor Jan Oddvar Skisland VG Thursday.

He asked Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to travel to Kristiansand to clean up, explain the decision and why the Labor Party was not involved locally.

Støre confirmed on Thursday that he will visit – but not when. And rapporteur Skisland has previously said Aftenposten that it will not be until the summer.

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Asks Støre to get the steam up

Kenneth Mørk, Aps group leader in Kristiansand, will not wait:

– The first thing Støre can do is find time in the calendar before the summer, he says to VG.

– If Støre has time to discuss with Vedum to implement a decision over our heads, then he also has time to come down to Kristiansand to explain the decision to the local party and our members. He should have taken us to the discussion before the decision was made, he says.

He says Støre should clear space in the program for a visit to the local party.

– I understand that a prime minister has a very full calendar, but at the same time I think it is incredibly important that he takes the time to meet the largest local party in Agder. We are dependent on all the help we can from our prime minister and party leader, says Mørk

– It is very demanding to stand in it, without any help. The sooner he arrives, the better, he says.

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VG has submitted Mørk’s statements to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

State Secretary Tale Jordbakke (Labor Party) responds on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office (SMK).

– We are in dialogue with Kristiansand Labor Party and will find time for a visit with them, Jordbakke writes in a text message to VG.

Can become a majority for Sp losses

NRK announced on Monday that the government allows for it to be held throughout Kristiansand, not just in old Søgne and Songdalen municipalities. Kristiansand mayor Jan Oddvar Skisland (Labor Party) told the TV channel that it can contribute to the division not being implemented.

There is probably a majority in Kristiansand City Council for the inhabitants of the entire municipality to decide the fate of old Søgne and Songdalen.

To VG The group leaders in the Labor Party, the Conservative Party, the Christian Democrats and the Socialist People’s Party said yes to such a solution on Monday – if they are forced to hold a referendum.

The four parties have a majority in the city council, but there has previously been internal disagreement about a referendum in several of them.

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