On Friday, the Norwegian government announced that they are opening up for visits from several counties, including Värmland. But the border with Västra Götaland is still closed - which is a tough message for Strömstad municipality, whose main industry is border trade and tourism.

- I expected it, but am still disappointed. It feels frustrating, unfair, and illogical. Strömstad municipality has a low spread of infection and I think it should be possible to solve this in another way than at the regional level, says Kent Hansson (S).

Risk of rising unemployment

When the border with Norway closed, trade in Strömstad lost up to 95 percent of its sales, and about 30-40 percent of the able-bodied population became unemployed or short-term laid off.

- The large trading posts up along the border are basically empty of customers. They are working extremely hard to make it go around and unemployment will certainly rise if the border does not open in the near future, says Kent Hansson (S).

To reopen the border, Norway requires the regions to have fewer than 20 new corona cases per week per 100,000 inhabitants. A figure that Västra Götaland is far from.

"It is important for the Norwegians that the border is closed"

But Kent Hansson (S) believes that there may also be other economic motives behind the decision, as the traders on the Norwegian side have benefited from the fact that the border with Sweden is closed.

- It may be to swear in church, but there are many with me who also believe it. The size of the border trade has been seen and it is clear that it is important for the Norwegians that the border is closed for as long as possible, he says.