As SVT Sápmi has previously reported, the government proposes in its budget proposal that the funding for the Sami Parliament’s language center be reduced by five million kroner. The Sami Parliament is now preparing for a reorganization of the language centre.
– We have fixed funding of six million kroner and we are going back to that, but it is not the former language center that we are now designing. The language center is to be located all over Sápmi and previously it has only existed in the Southern Sami area. Now the eight employees who will remain at the language center will be in all local offices, says Anita Kitok.
Employer and union agree
The employer and the unions at the Sami parliament have agreed that three project manager positions will disappear in Kiruna, one in Jokkmokk and two part-time positions as supervisors both in Tärnaby and Östersund, because there is no need for it when the services are reduced.
How do you think this will affect language work within the Sami Parliament?
– I think it will affect quite a lot, but we can’t do anything about it. The business is based on the existing budget, and six million is fixed funding.
Share grants with ISOF
In the budget bill, the government also proposes that the Sami Parliament and the Institute for Language and Folk Remembrance, ISOF, should share 8.5 million kroner, but there has been no information yet on how this will be done.
The final announcement about the language center’s budget will come in December when the Riksdag has decided on it, so there is still hope.
– We hope, of course, that when the budget bill has been out for consultation, there will be changes, says Anita Kitok.