The Mayor of Alta, Monica Nielsen, confirmed that many people in the municipality are now using many May holidays to travel abroad, and there will be a slight reduction in the population on May 17 this year.

– Many will take a trip out into the sun and warmth and take an early vacation. There is now also a direct route from Alta to Crete, says Nielsen to Dagbladet.

The 17th of May this year is followed by a public holiday on the 18th and a school holiday on the 19th of May.

“Escape” from the cold meant that several schools had trouble holding events on National Day, and had to cancel them.

Debates have raged about selfishness and children being deprived of important communities.

– If some children celebrate May 17 in the South, I don’t think it really matters how much you feel around May 17. It happens every year, says Nielsen.

Six degrees and rain

The Mayor understands that people choose to travel long distances even though it is National Day.

– We live in a part of the country with many cold winters and are not as spoiled as in a country with more sunshine and heat.

Dead: An empty seat on a Russian bus

– This is a golden opportunity for frozen alta weathering to get sunlight. Six degrees and rain reported here on May 17th.

– Do you envy those who are now having fun on sun loungers?

– I’m really looking forward to tomorrow, it’s a great day. As mayor, I have a number of duties, and I look forward to being with my family.

Tuesday reported Altaposten that one of the schools was still able to hold activities, after a few joined together and tried to get the day to go according to plan.

– Several schools have been considering whether they can hold something this year, as some of the resource persons are currently on vacation. But then we saw a few other people come in, and that was great, said Nielsen.

– It’s a shame for those who were left behind

Dagbladet has previously written about Tanja Elina Lund-Lyngemo, who along with the larger Altaværing group have chosen to move the May 17 celebrations this year to Crete.

– People should be allowed to do what they want. Children are also involved throughout the process, and the most important thing for them is that access to ice cream remains the same as at home, he laughs to Dagbladet.

HOLIDAY > MAY 17: May-Liss Thomassen feels it would be a shame if a public holiday had to go beyond the national day. Private photo
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May-Liss Thomassen sits on the Alta May 17 committee, and is one of those highly skeptical about traveling abroad on national day.

– We can’t prevent anyone from leaving, but it’s a shame for those who stay, he told Dagbladet the night before the big day.

He thought it might be a good idea to do an evaluation of how something was done.

– I hate you

– Areas of responsibility may need to be distributed differently, so you are less vulnerable when key people are unable to participate, says Thomassen.

– Do you understand that someone wants to leave?

– Yes and no. I understand that people travel when there are so many holidays, but I think it’s a shame that it fell on the 17th of May.