East Finnmark is feeling the consequences of the Norwegian regime’s sanctions against Russia. Now they get more money, partly to stop the population decline.

– It’s great that we have now approved a financial package for Eastern Finnmark of over NOK 100 million, for various important actions for the region, says Kirsti Bergstø from SV.

It is SV that, together with the government side, has agreed on the so-called activity package for Finnmark East totaling NOK 105 million by 2023.

– The fund will facilitate jobs and good deals for people in East Finnmark, says a press release from the government.

The background, among other things, is that East Finnmark is a region where people and businesses have been hit hard by the war in Ukraine, the government wrote. Maintaining activity here is very important in terms of security policy, according to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Negotiate the budget

SV is currently negotiating the RNB with the Ap and Sp governments.

Kirsti Bergstø would not say whether they are close to a deal.

– This is an agreement at the level of party leaders. The RNB negotiations were conducted in the Storting, he said.

Both Støre and Vedum said they were in good spirits.

– We will agree on the RNB, Støre told VG.

– There was a good and constructive tone in the negotiations, said Vedum.

– Touched

Støre told VG that the sanctions regime was an important reason why East Finnmark needed additional money.

– The whole of Norway is affected by the sanctions against Russia, but East Finnmark is especially affected, he said.

Labor’s Marianne Sivertsen Næss chairs the Storting energy committee and represents Finnmark.

– So much has never been done to stop population decline. I was moved and influenced, he told VG.

– The number of acute hands

LO leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik said she was happy the government was now open.

– We see that people and workplaces in East Finnmark have been hit hard by the war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. It’s in Norway’s interest that we get jobs and presence in this part of the country. It is therefore good that the government is now coming up with an urgent handshake for East Finnmark, he said.