The latest: The Conservative Party has no choice but to negotiate with the tunnel parties, Christine Mayor tells NRK, because Rune Bakervik has not resigned as city councilor as she requested.
The Conservative Party will negotiate with parties that do not like Bibanen about Bryggen in Bergen. City Council President candidate Christine Meyer (H) writes Facebook page Thursday afternoon.
The mayor guaranteed that there would be no rematch on the biggest political issue in Bergen in the election campaign: whether or not Piepanen should go ahead of Bergen.
That’s why many were surprised when the door was opened on election night. A few days later, she vowed no rematch.
Now there is a different tone from the mayor and the Conservative Party in Bergen, who will negotiate with parties who want a light rail line in a tunnel instead of Bryggen.
Venstre and the KrF left the negotiations with the Conservative Party
KrF and Venstre have recently been at the center of negotiations with the Conservative Party. The two former parties called a press conference at 15.45 on Thursday.
There, outgoing Finance Councilor Per-Arne Hvidsten Larsen (V) came out hard against the Conservatives.
– Unfortunately, this shows a spineless party, says Larson, who says he will not continue negotiations with the Conservatives and that the Liberals will go into opposition.
Joel Ystebø at KrF announces at the press conference that the negotiations will continue without them.
– Yestepo says that we thought and believed that the rematch would have an end, but it won’t be like that.
Both Larson and Yestebo have been clear they won’t negotiate further with the mayor now that he’s opened up a potential rematch for light rail.
– We’ve always said we’re not going to mess with light rail, Larsen says.
– We are worried about the direction that will be taken in the next four years, whether it will stand or be reconsidered for light rail. “I think a lot of people are fed up with this light rail issue, and you don’t get peace around you,” Yestebo said.
The mayor called Bakerwick and asked him to come down
Following KrF and Venstre’s press conference, Christine Meyer (H) called her own.
– We’ve been trying for two weeks not to get a rematch. We contacted Bakerwick and asked him to resign, but he refused. When he doesn’t choose that, the Conservatives have no choice but to go underground parties, the mayor says.
NRK has spoken to Rune Bakervik (Ap), who says he was invited by the mayor today.
– She called me several times and asked me to resign before the end of the working day, says the current head of the city council.
According to Bakerwick, he should have replied that it was something he would consider, but that he needed time to talk first with his own party and the parties that pointed to him as city council president.
– Christine Mayer doesn’t appreciate it. “I don’t know when the working day ends at Høyre, but she’s made up her mind before 3pm,” Bakervik says, calling the whole thing “ridiculous”.
Point to Bakerwick
Christine Meyer explains that they chose to join the so-called subway parties because they wanted a change now.
– We are back today. We in Høyre are now worried that we are getting a change in Bergen, and the mayor says that this is what got us a change.
The Conservative Party tried to find a solution with the KrF and the Liberal Party, but they were unable to achieve a majority.
– Unfortunately, even after I tried to approach Bakerwick, we could not get a solid majority. Then we had no choice but to turn the other way.
The mayor says he asked Bakerwick to step down to make room, allowing Bybanen to stand in as Briggen’s replacement.
– Had Bakerwick chosen to leave, there was a chance to save light rail. He also returned saying that he will go last Tuesday. Today he is still in talks with other parties, the mayor adds:
– I expected him to resign because he would have saved the light rail.
— replied Bakerwick, that such ultimatums as she brought, testified to an incredibly great desperation.
– Deep sadness for Bergen
Light rail is perhaps the hottest issue in Bergen politics, and the debate over the route has been going on for more than ten years. In May this year, the light rail was decided to go over Bryghan.
Now, the Conservative Party is going to negotiate with the “mining parties”, which will lead to a new debate about where to go.
– I now fear for the future of light rail. An enormous responsibility rests on the right shoulders, says Bakerwick.
According to the plan, Ryder Dicranes from the Center Party and City Councilor Rune Bakervik from the Labor Party were to meet at 3pm today to discuss a collaboration. However, the Sp peak does not appear there.
According to NRK, the party met instead of negotiating with the mayor and the conservative party.
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