The government’s investment of billions in municipalities and regions is welcome but not sufficient, says SKR.
The Social Democrats are also critical.
– When the state grants are not even calculated with inflation, there will be new savings in healthcare and school, says Mikael Damberg, economic policy spokesperson.
Sweden’s municipalities and regions (SKR) have long warned of large deficits next year and demanded information from the government.
When it comes, the organization’s chairman Anders Henriksson (S) says that the addition is welcome.
– This is clearly much-needed money. The regions in particular are having a tough time, he says.
Huge savings await
But substantial savings will still be required, according to Henriksson.
– The money helps, but it is not enough. There is still a large gap in relation to the challenges we face. So big that you have to continue to hold back and streamline in order to manage the economy in the long term, he says.
SKR has previously expected a deficit of SEK 28 billion in both municipalities and regions next year. In the regions alone, the forecast is a deficit of SEK 22 billion.
The government’s announcement is 10 billion in general state grants and close to 6 billion in more targeted grants.
A sum that is too low according to the Social Democrats’ economic policy spokesperson Mikael Damberg.
– When the state subsidies are not even calculated with inflation, there will be new savings in healthcare and school. There is no other information today than that tough priorities will be required, he says.
“Higher ambitions”
According to Mikael Damberg, there should at least be a “bottom plate” that protects welfare from inflation.
– Then you have to have higher ambitions than that. We will invest more, otherwise we will see big savings going forward, he says.
When the Tidöpartierna presented the news on Friday, Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) emphasized that both municipalities and regions have a great responsibility to do more when it comes to efficiency improvements.
According to SD’s economic policy spokesperson Oscar Sjöstedt, a priority has been that the municipalities and regions should not “need to lay off a lot of people”.
Anders Henriksson at SKR cannot answer whether the savings will also require staff cuts.
– The savings will look different depending on where in the country you are, he says.