At the County Administrative Board, they think that the government's reduced funding for the operation rhymes badly with the environmental goals.
- The government says that the environmental goals remain unchanged.
At the same time they don't give us any means to work with the environmental goals and it's like starving foxes, says Per-Anders Jonsson who is head of unit at the Nature Protection Unit at the County Administrative Board in Norrbotten.
The government blames the electricity prices
Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L) is in New York for UN negotiations and cannot attend an interview.
On the other hand, the government office responds in writing to the county board's criticism:
"This year the government has had to set a tight budget due to the high inflation, the recession and the high electricity prices.
Despite that, we have set the second highest climate and environmental budget ever.
Hear the appeal to the Minister of the Environment
Furthermore, the government office writes that the government will come back with reforms and new resources in the environmental area when the economy allows it.
"The government has a close dialogue with the Environmental Protection Agency to develop the protection of sensitive nature that is done in Sweden, and it is the Environmental Protection Agency that allocates the budget that the government spends on nature conservation."
In the video, you can hear the County Administrative Board's appeal to the Minister of the Environment.