Politician demands probe into Lolland’s use of island funding

Lolland Municipality receives more than 24 million kroner in government island funding this year, but is planning to save up to 10 million kroner on ferry services, DR reports. A local politician is calling for an investigation into how the money is being used.

Lolland is facing a deficit of more than 300 million kroner and is preparing cuts across its services, including ferry routes to Femø, Fejø and Askø.

Under the proposed savings plan, the three islands would share two ferries. Daily departures to Femø and Askø would be reduced from seven to four, while services to Fejø would fall from 19 to 17 departures.

Susie Jessen, the Danish Democrats’ spokesperson for rural areas and islands, said the cuts should not be made on the islands despite the municipality’s financial difficulties.

“A municipality such as Lolland receives money from Christiansborg to maintain stable ferry services, and I do not see that happening in Lolland Municipality. That is something we need to investigate more thoroughly,” she said.

The state provides several subsidies to municipalities with small islands. The largest is the section 20 subsidy, which is paid to all 19 municipalities with small islands. Additional subsidies are provided to the 18 small-island municipalities that operate ferry services.

Lolland Municipality, which includes Femø, Fejø and Askø, receives 24.3 million kroner in section 20 funding. Other municipalities receiving this support include Slagelse with 14.1 million kroner, Kalundborg with 13.6 million, Holbæk with 11.5 million and Horsens with 11.2 million.

Henrik Jacobsen, chairman of Lolland’s Climate, Technical and Environment Committee, said the section 20 funding was not specifically earmarked for ferries.

“We receive section 20 funds to cover the costs of being an island municipality. They are not specified, and nothing is earmarked,” he said.

Jessen said Christiansborg should establish rules ensuring that the island funding is directed specifically towards ferry services.

“If it is spent on all sorts of other things, and perhaps also on something that has little to do with the islands themselves, then we have a problem,” she said.

Former island resident voices concern

Elise Sydendal, who grew up on Fejø and was elected to Parliament for The Alternative last year, said she was concerned about the effect of reduced ferry services on island life.

“I am very concerned about the prospect of reducing the number of daily departures to Femø and Askø from seven to four. For residents, the ferry is their only route to work, education, doctors, shopping and the rest of society,” said Sydendal, who is also her party’s spokesperson for rural areas and islands.

She said the state should take greater financial responsibility for ferry services to the country’s small islands, while daily operations and administration could remain locally managed.

“The municipality must not cut departures and ferry services simply because it lacks money at the town hall,” she said.

Minister asked to seek new report

In July, Jessen asked Transport Minister Signe Munk of the Socialist People’s Party to obtain a report from Lolland Municipality on how the state’s island funding was being used.

DR News has seen the report submitted by the municipality to the ministry. It describes the ferry services to Femø, Fejø and Askø and the planned savings, but Jessen said she was far from satisfied with it.

“To be completely honest, it looks more than anything like something written on the back of a napkin,” she said.

Jessen said a report should provide a full overview of how the funds from Christiansborg had been used in relation to the three islands. She therefore plans to urge Munk to request a new report from Lolland Municipality.

DR News has attempted to obtain a comment from Munk about the report received by her ministry, but she has not responded.