Progress Party up – Christian Democrats down (Dagbladet)

The Progress Party has made substantial gains and is now breathing down the Conservative Party’s neck. Together the two parties have the backing of 46 per cent of the electorate, according to the latest MMI poll for NRK and Dagbladet – carried out in February. The Conservatives are still the country’s largest party, with the support of 23.9 per cent of voters, while the Progress Party jumps 5.5 points to finish on 22.5 per cent. The Christian Democrats slide a significant 3.2 points, while the Labour Party again languishes at under 20 per cent. "I would not rule out the possibility that the gas-fired power station issue and unhappiness with the Government’s regional policy could explain the drop in support for the party," said Petroleum and Energy Minister Einar Steensnæs, a leading Christian Democrat.

Progress Party sharpens its claws (Dagsavisen)

The Progress Party wants to leverage its recent strong poll results to achieve political goals. Increased defence spending and lower corporate taxes are at the top of the party’s wish-list. Three opinion polls in the past week give the Progress Party between 20.9 and 22.1 per cent of the vote. The Liberals and the Christian Democrats, both members of the governing coalition, are struggling, while the third coalition partner, the Conservative Party, is holding strong. The Progress Party has interpreted the recent positive poll results as confirmation that the purges chairman Carl I. Hagen carried out last spring have been successful.

Girl power (Verdens Gang)

A majority of MPs are in favour of a substantial cut in public nursery fees. The Socialist Left Party, the Progress Party and the Labour Party will now coordinate their proposals and are jointly aiming to achieve an immediate cut in fees. Following weeks of secret negotiations the Socialist Left Party and the Progress Party have come up with a joint proposal. It would mean parents paying a maximum fee of NOK 1,500 per month from the New Year – with a discount for families with a total income of under NOK 330,000. There would be a ceiling of NOK 3,600 per month, regardless of how many children a family had at nursery. There would also be full tax exemption for both parties where an employer pays for an employee’s child to attend nursery.

Labour to ensure majority for cheaper nursery places (NTB)

The Labour Party is backing the proposal for cheaper nursery places which has been made by the Socialist Left Party and the Progress Party. "We will help to ensure that there is majority support for proposals which lead to cheaper nursery places. And the fact that the Progress Party is now so clear on this issue is very pleasing because it looks as though there will be a majority for this in the Storting," said Jens Stoltenberg, leader of the Labour Party’s parliamentary group in an interview with NRK. Children and Family Affairs Minister Laila Dåvøy (Chr.Dem) has dubbed the proposal unrealistic.

Petersen rebuke for Israel (Aftenposten)

Foreign Minister Jan Petersen has reproached Israel for not using the quiet weeks following Yasser Arafat’s speech on 16 December to try and create peace. "I reproach Israel for clinging to its seven-day deadline and not using this window as an incentive to move forward," said Mr Petersen. The Norwegian Foreign Minister was in Amman, Jordan, yesterday, where he had talks with the King, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. Mr Petersen’s visit to Jordan marked the end of a four-day tour during which he also visited Egypt, Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict was a particularly important issue during Mr Petersen’s discussions with the leaders of Egypt and Jordan.

Massive shortfall in psychiatric spending (Dagbladet)

In 1998 Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik and the Storting promised to spend NOK 24 billion on psychiatric care over eight years. Since then the number of people waiting for psychiatric treatment has doubled. But half-way through the period only NOK 4.6 billion has been allocated. This means that the Prime Minister will have to stump up NOK 20 billion more over the next four years to meet his target on psychiatry. But there are already indications that the sector will not receive all the money that it has been promised.

Pensioners flee the country (Dagsavisen)

An increasing number of Norwegian pensioners are fleeing the country. Last year 30,000 pensions were paid out to people living abroad. This is 10,000 more than four years ago. At the top of the list is Sweden, where almost 9,000 Norwegian pensioners were living last year. The USA and Spain are the next most popular destinations for pensioners who are refugees from freezing Norwegian winters and pouring rain. A total of NOK 1.6 billion was paid to pensioners living abroad.

Gold medal for sports spending (Verdens Gang)

Norway spends vast sums of money on sports – more than twice as much as the Swedes – earning Norwegian sports a gold medal also when it comes to cash. There is hardly a country in the world which allocates as much to sports as Norway. Over the past five years the Cultural Affairs Ministry and the Norwegian lottery company, Norsk Tipping, have transferred NOK 3.5 billion to various sporting activities. Last year NOK 824 million went directly to sports, which represents NOK 184 per head of population.

Worth Noting

• According to MMI’s EU poll for February, 42 per cent of voters do not want Norway to join the EU. 36 per cent are in favour of membership, while 22 per cent have not made up their minds. (Dagbladet)
• The Norwegian Bar Association is critical of the Justice Ministry’s proposals for new anti-terrorism legislation. Justice Minister Odd Einar Dørum has issued a consultation paper detailing a number of legislative changes which he believes will make the fight against terrorism more effective. (Klassekampen)
• Up to now ABB has kept silent on the matter of Kjell Almskog’s company pension. But yesterday ABB released figures showing that Mr Almskog’s pension is worth NOK 15 million. This brings his total pension from ABB and Kværner to NOK 62 million. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• Labour and Government Administration Minister Victor D. Norman has said that small local authorities will not receive enough money to be self-financing in all areas. But he denied that they were being deliberately starved of cash. "The objective is to give local authorities more responsibility for their own operations," he said. (Nationen)
• The EU wants to replace the minimum price scheme for salmon with a punitive tariff of over NOK 3 per kilo. If the proposal is adopted it would be a major blow to Norway’s salmon farmers. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• On paper Oslo is a paradise for those requiring a nursing home place – there are lots of vacant beds. But the official statistics tell only half the story. At least 70 patients are still confined to hospital, though their treatment has been completed, while they wait to be allocated a place at a nursing home. (Aftenposten)
• The aircraft which is supposed to check security at the country’s airports has been grounded – apparently because it is not safe to fly. The aircraft is owned by the Civil Aviation Authority and cost more than NOK 100 million to buy. (Aftenposten)

Today’s comment from Dagbladet

During the past few days Aftenposten’s evening edition, Aftenposten Aften, has revealed the extent of the US Embassy in Oslo’s plans to improve security and prevent terrorist attacks. Among other things they want to build a three-metre high fence around the building, which will also be secured by means of a 10-metre wide security zone. The Oslo City planning office had originally promised the Embassy that the matter would be given fast-track treatment, without the plans being subject to the usual consultation process. Happily the Oslo City Council’s Executive Board has issued new instructions to the planning office and demanded a full hearing. And quite right too. The USA’s building plans would not only restrict traffic in Drammensveien and visually spoil an important part of the city centre. If the Embassy is as vulnerable a terrorist target as the Americans claim, it should be moved away from its current location close to the Royal Palace and the Norwegian Foreign Ministry. The Norwegian authorities cannot possibly be so servile in their dealings with the USA that they allow the superpower to dictate Oslo’s town planning. The politicians must find a new plot of land for the Embassy – forthwith.

NOREG