Støre met by angry protesters in Longyearbyen – compares Norway to Qatar
Norway has deprived most of the foreigners on Svalbard of the right to vote, which they believe is reminiscent of Qatar. Støre admits that the decision was not easy.
It’s completely on the nose! Now we have just been through a World Cup where there has been a lot of talk about migrant workers and their lack of rights. But the fact is that foreign workers on Svalbard have no more rights than they have in Qatar, says Sally Hovelsø to NTB.
She is Danish and has lived on Svalbard for twelve years.
Last year, she lost the right to vote when the government introduced new rules that foreign nationals must have lived on mainland Norway for three years to have the right to vote and be eligible for election to the local council in Longyearbyen.
It is no longer sufficient to have lived on Svalbard for three years, as before.
– Many of us have lived here for many years. The right to vote, the most fundamental right you have in a society, has been taken away from us, says Hovelsø.
– Norwegians should be ashamed
On Wednesday evening, she demonstrated with several other very frustrated Svalbardians outside Funken Lodge in Longyearbyen.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) is staying at the lodge during his visit to Svalbard and walked past the protesters on his way to a meeting with the local team of the Labor Party.
– Nobody cares. I hope that every single Norwegian who reads about this is ashamed. It’s a shame, says Hovelsø.
The general rule in Norway states that foreign nationals can vote in local elections as long as they have lived in the country for three years. For Nordic citizens, it is necessary to have been resident in Norway no later than 30 June in the election year.
– I am Danish. We have the Nordic cooperation. It is believed that Nordic citizens are equal as long as they live in the Nordic countries. That’s how it is too. But not on Svalbard, says Hovelsø.
Does not feel wanted
The matter was brought up on Wednesday in a meeting Støre had with party members. Local board leader Arild Olsen (Ap) in Longyearbyen says he understands the frustration many people experience locally.
– They experience both that they are not part of democracy, but also not the wishes of the Norwegian state here in Longyearbyen. It is clear that it is serious for the local community, but also very serious for the individual, he says.
The local board leader says there have been divided views on the matter in the party locally.
– I belong to the part that believes it was an unwise choice. I can understand that the government wanted to do something. But that particular move was unwise, he says.
– To what extent were local politicians involved in the decision?
– To a very small extent. It was an abnormal process. Normally, we tend to be informed about processes that are to start up. In this case, we really only got the completed consultation proposal straight across the table like everyone else, he says.
Støre understands the reactions
The government’s justification for the move has been, among other things, that the population on Svalbard has changed, and that there has been an increase in direct immigration from abroad. According to Statistics Norway, 30 per cent of the population on Svalbard were foreigners in the first half of last year.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre tells NTB that he understands that those who have had the right to vote, and who lose it, react.
– At the same time, Norway has a responsibility to ensure stability here, not unpredictable fluctuations due to population moving in and out.
Now the prime minister is concerned that those who have lost the right to vote are listened to in the local processes, which he hopes the local council can find good arrangements for.
– And this was not an easy decision. We listened to the counterarguments. But we have responsibility for safety and stability at a time when it is particularly necessary.
It was probably a bit rough
The leader of the Svalbard Labor Party, Svein Jonny Albrigtsen, does not fully agree with the Qatar comparison.
– It was probably a bit rough. We are not in Qatar, we are not there, he says.
But he agrees that the rights of foreign workers in Svalbard are a big problem.
– In principle, they can get NOK 10 in hourly wages, he says.
He wants the Public Access Act to apply in Svalbard, a case which was sent out for consultation in 2021, but which has since stalled a bit. This could give workers more rights.
– The foreign workers are often afraid to organise. There is a fear of losing their job, and then they are perhaps used to from their home country that the trade union is a mafia, he says.
I’m not ashamed of something I’m too young to change, but its unfair i agree.
>I hope that every single Norwegian who reads about this is ashamed
Lmao fuck off you whingy cunt
Considering the requirements needed to move to Svalbard (which is pretty much nothing) this makes complete sense to me.
Svalbard is a unique case, so I don’t see the problem with this.
Foreigners with different norms, culture, morals etc. wants a vote on what we do with our country?
Want a vote? Become a citizen. Svalbard is no exception because of the visa rules.
Comparing Norway and Qatar is like comparing day and night. What are they trying to achive?
I’m sorry, but in these times one has to take precautions.
Mashallah brøthers.
For people living here and not ignorant to how heavily Norway is at times policed when it comes to victimless crime, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Norway is a democracy nominally, but there are definitely things to improve.
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Støre met by angry protesters in Longyearbyen – compares Norway to Qatar
Norway has deprived most of the foreigners on Svalbard of the right to vote, which they believe is reminiscent of Qatar. Støre admits that the decision was not easy.
It’s completely on the nose! Now we have just been through a World Cup where there has been a lot of talk about migrant workers and their lack of rights. But the fact is that foreign workers on Svalbard have no more rights than they have in Qatar, says Sally Hovelsø to NTB.
She is Danish and has lived on Svalbard for twelve years.
Last year, she lost the right to vote when the government introduced new rules that foreign nationals must have lived on mainland Norway for three years to have the right to vote and be eligible for election to the local council in Longyearbyen.
It is no longer sufficient to have lived on Svalbard for three years, as before.
– Many of us have lived here for many years. The right to vote, the most fundamental right you have in a society, has been taken away from us, says Hovelsø.
– Norwegians should be ashamed
On Wednesday evening, she demonstrated with several other very frustrated Svalbardians outside Funken Lodge in Longyearbyen.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) is staying at the lodge during his visit to Svalbard and walked past the protesters on his way to a meeting with the local team of the Labor Party.
– Nobody cares. I hope that every single Norwegian who reads about this is ashamed. It’s a shame, says Hovelsø.
The general rule in Norway states that foreign nationals can vote in local elections as long as they have lived in the country for three years. For Nordic citizens, it is necessary to have been resident in Norway no later than 30 June in the election year.
– I am Danish. We have the Nordic cooperation. It is believed that Nordic citizens are equal as long as they live in the Nordic countries. That’s how it is too. But not on Svalbard, says Hovelsø.
Does not feel wanted
The matter was brought up on Wednesday in a meeting Støre had with party members. Local board leader Arild Olsen (Ap) in Longyearbyen says he understands the frustration many people experience locally.
– They experience both that they are not part of democracy, but also not the wishes of the Norwegian state here in Longyearbyen. It is clear that it is serious for the local community, but also very serious for the individual, he says.
The local board leader says there have been divided views on the matter in the party locally.
– I belong to the part that believes it was an unwise choice. I can understand that the government wanted to do something. But that particular move was unwise, he says.
– To what extent were local politicians involved in the decision?
– To a very small extent. It was an abnormal process. Normally, we tend to be informed about processes that are to start up. In this case, we really only got the completed consultation proposal straight across the table like everyone else, he says.
Støre understands the reactions
The government’s justification for the move has been, among other things, that the population on Svalbard has changed, and that there has been an increase in direct immigration from abroad. According to Statistics Norway, 30 per cent of the population on Svalbard were foreigners in the first half of last year.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre tells NTB that he understands that those who have had the right to vote, and who lose it, react.
– At the same time, Norway has a responsibility to ensure stability here, not unpredictable fluctuations due to population moving in and out.
Now the prime minister is concerned that those who have lost the right to vote are listened to in the local processes, which he hopes the local council can find good arrangements for.
– And this was not an easy decision. We listened to the counterarguments. But we have responsibility for safety and stability at a time when it is particularly necessary.
It was probably a bit rough
The leader of the Svalbard Labor Party, Svein Jonny Albrigtsen, does not fully agree with the Qatar comparison.
– It was probably a bit rough. We are not in Qatar, we are not there, he says.
But he agrees that the rights of foreign workers in Svalbard are a big problem.
– In principle, they can get NOK 10 in hourly wages, he says.
He wants the Public Access Act to apply in Svalbard, a case which was sent out for consultation in 2021, but which has since stalled a bit. This could give workers more rights.
– The foreign workers are often afraid to organise. There is a fear of losing their job, and then they are perhaps used to from their home country that the trade union is a mafia, he says.
I’m not ashamed of something I’m too young to change, but its unfair i agree.
>I hope that every single Norwegian who reads about this is ashamed
Lmao fuck off you whingy cunt
Considering the requirements needed to move to Svalbard (which is pretty much nothing) this makes complete sense to me.
Svalbard is a unique case, so I don’t see the problem with this.
Foreigners with different norms, culture, morals etc. wants a vote on what we do with our country?
Want a vote? Become a citizen. Svalbard is no exception because of the visa rules.
Comparing Norway and Qatar is like comparing day and night. What are they trying to achive?
I’m sorry, but in these times one has to take precautions.
Mashallah brøthers.
For people living here and not ignorant to how heavily Norway is at times policed when it comes to victimless crime, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Norway is a democracy nominally, but there are definitely things to improve.
Why on earth shoud they be alowed to vote
“Dere tok min sterke”? Sterke hva?