Progress Party presents ambitious budget

The Progress Party presented its alternative budget for 2012 today. “We are exploiting the opportunities to strengthen Norwegian businesses and to stimulate work. We have ambitions beyond administrating status quo”, says Ketil Solvik-Olsen.

The Progress Party presented a budget that strengthens the creation of value and increases social security. “We are creating better frameworks for businesses, investing in infrastructure and aiming for world class research environments. This is how we will secure increased value creation, today and in the future”, says Ketil Solvik- Olsen, Progress Party Spokesperson on Finance.

The Progress Party alternative budget cuts taxes by 21 billion NOK and slims down public sector by 15 billion NOK. “We are using marginally more petroleum money than the government, but we are within the budgetary rule”, says Solvik- Olsen.

Number one priority in the alternative budget is infrastructure, to which 15 billion NOK is allocated. “We will not give up until we can be proud of the Norwegian infrastructure. And we can accomplish this without road tolls or other unfair charges”, says Solvik Olsen.

Number two priority in the Progress Party alternative budget is health. 2,5 billion NOK is allocated to secure faster patient treatment. “Healthy people work and pay their taxes, while people waiting for treatment don’t. Our priority is therefore to reduce waiting lists. In addition, we are strengthening the focus on welfare to work programmes to reduce the number of people living on welfare”, says Solvik-Olsen.

Number three priority is the police. Compared to the government’s proposed budget, the Progress Party alternative budget allocates 470 million NOK more to the police. “The tragic events of 22.07.11 has shown that the police is in need of more resources. We need more visible and better equipped police on the streets”, says Ketil Solvik Olsen.

“Our main concern with the government`s proposed budget is the lack of visions and new ideas. Our alternative budget is a response to that”, says Solvik-Olsen.