Plans for municipal merger in Sandoy

The upcoming Streymoy-Sandoy subsea tunnel will create challenges that require a more unified approach to the municipal structure in Sandoy.

So says Heri Sverrason, mayor of Sandur, who is calling for a merger of Sandoy’s five municipalities.

“The time has come to move away from having five municipalities competing against each other,” he says.

Sandoyartunnilin, Hol ígjøgnum

Frítekst tagging: 

Sandoyartunnilin

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Drilling for the Streymoy-Sandoy subsea tunnel is almost completed. Estimates say the tunnel will open to traffic in December 2023

“This internal competition will see the smaller municipalities fall by the wayside, and we shouldn’t risk that.”

He believes there is majority support for a merger in his village, but he concedes that it may be difficult to find support across all five municipalities.

“The best way to gauge the support would be to put the matter up for a referendum.”

The mayor of Skopun, former MP Gerhard Lognberg, strongly opposes the idea of a merger.

“We have had nothing but good relations with the other municipalities, but it is clear to me that Skopun would lose out massively from such a merger,” he says.

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The other three mayors on the island have a more neutral stance.

Húsavík’s mayor declines to comment until the matter has been discussed internally. Skálavík’s mayor favours the idea in principle, but he has some reservations. Skúvoy’s mayor is also in favour of the idea, but he wants to consult with the locals before elaborating on his stance.

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Sandur’s mayor says if the merger is not possible, there may be another feasible alternative.

“Once the tunnel is completed, we will be a 20-minute drive away from Tórshavn, so a merger with Tórshavn municipality may also be worth considering.”

Read the Faroese versions of this article here, here and here.

Translated by prosa.fo.

More Faroese News in English.