Increase in violent crimes noted (Dagsavisen)

The number of grave violent crimes being committed in Norway is on the rise. During the first six months of this year, 4796 "crimes against personal liberty" were reported to the police. These crimes included threats, armed threats and deprivation of liberty. Reports of deprivation of liberty, in particular, have increased in frequency. The upsurge in reports of these crimes has been accompanied by an increase in the level of violence, according to the Norwegian Police Directorate.

Centre Party rules out cooperation with Socialist Left (Aftenposten)

Although the Socialist Left Party has made it clear at several of its national party congresses that it would like to form a coalition government with the Centre Party, and key Centre politicians have toyed with the idea in recent years, Centre’s deputy chairman has vetoed any such cooperation. Åslaug Haga’s response to Trond Giske’s invitation to the Centre and Socialist Left parties this week was, "In the Centre Party we believe that the country needs a majority government, and Mr. Giske’s initiative is very interesting. But we are sceptical about cooperating with the Socialist Left. We would rather see a government composed of Labour, the Centre Party and the Christian Democrats."

Conservative MPs want to bring Hagen in from the cold (Verdens Gang)

Several Conservative MPs are considering letting the Progress Party participate in a government coalition. They are tired of seeing how the opposition wreaks havoc on the Government. "The Progress Party is one potential participant in a future majority government that would include the Conservative Party. Many Conservative politicians, myself included, could consider forming a majority government that is able to govern more effectively than the current minority government," said MP Heidi Larssen, who represents Oslo.

Will fight for sick pay (Dagsavisen)

Gerd-Liv Valla, head of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), will not accept cutbacks in the sick pay scheme, even if the goal of decreasing sick leave is not met. "I have never signed any agreement reducing sick pay benefits if sick leave does not decrease by 20 per cent. Making people wait or pay part of their benefits themselves before receiving compensation would be a poor way to combat absence due to illness. It would hurt people who are already in a difficult position. We will not compromise in our struggle to ensure just sick leave benefits," said Ms. Valla.

Danes want to dump cheap meat on Norwegian market (Dagbladet)

Danish meat producers are preparing to dump cheap meat on the Norwegian market. This autumn Article 19 of the EEA Agreement, dealing with meat, grain and dairy products, is due to be renegotiated with a view to a liberalization of the market in the long term. The Norwegian meat marketing association is alarmed about the possibility that Norway will make concessions that are far too liberal in its negotiations on the trade agreement.

Drivers may be docked in pay (Aftenposten)

Every year thousands of drivers forget to pay the annual auto tax, despite reminders and threats to strip the number plates from their cars. A new draft bill will enable the State Agency for the Recovery of Fines, Damages and Costs to either deduct the tax of NOK 2310 directly from the wages of defaulters, to secure property, or to withhold tax rebates. As of June there were still 100 000 car owners who had not paid their annual tax. This amounts to a total of NOK 223 861 301, which, according to the customs authorities, may have to be collected by coercive means.

Norwegians are being cheated out of price reduction (Dagbladet, Sunday edition)

The record-strong Norwegian krone should result in a significant price reduction on all imported products. Instead, prices are staying at around the same level as before in Norway. The Norwegian krone has been strengthened by 8.7 per cent against the euro and 17.8 per cent against the dollar since the beginning of the year, making it much cheaper for importers to purchase goods from abroad. However, prices of these imported goods have decreased only marginally.

Can’t afford to check private schools (Dagsavisen, Sunday edition)

This year the Government will give private schools NOK 1.3 billion in support. This support is provided on the condition that the schools are inspected regularly. But the county National Education Offices lack the funds to do so. The next inspection may not take place for another 15 years. "It is a problem that we are unable to conduct more inspections than this," said Director General Bjørg Ølstad of the National Education Office, Oslo and Akershus County. So far this year the office has inspected only two of a total of 90 private schools. And the number of private schools is increasing substantially.

Worth noting:

• "The compromise reached by the Labour, Progress, Socialist Left and Centre parties on a maximum price for pre-school day care centres must be a one-off," said Labour Party chairman Thorbjørn Jagland. This warning can be interpreted as a criticism of Jens Stoltenberg, Labour deputy chairman and chairman of the Labour parliamentary group. (Dagbladet, Sunday edition)
• "Cowardly, spoilt little boy", "arrogant" and "afraid of conflict" were some of the epithets applied to Jens Stoltenberg by the Labour Youth League when Thorbjørn Jagland visited the organization’s summer camp at Utøya on Saturday. "Mr. Stoltenberg is beginning to notice that it’s one thing to stay behind the lines and be the darling of the press, and something else again to be in the front lines," said Thorbjørn Jagland, the outgoing Labour chairman. (Verdens Gang, Sunday edition)
• Thorbjørn Jagland left Utøya with the warm support of his audience. He criticized the Government and the Progress Party, while the Labour Youth League used its speeches as an opportunity to disparage incoming Labour chairman Jens Stoltenberg.
  (Aftenposten, Sunday edition)
• Roger Bjørnstad, researcher at Statistics Norway, believes that politicians must give Svein Gjedrem, Governor of Norges Bank, a new mandate. In his view, Mr. Gjedrem has misinterpreted the economic situation and the mandate he has been given.
  (Dagens Næringsliv)
• In the past one-and-a-half years, 40 people who were taking methadone have died, according to the National Institute of Forensic Toxicology. In most cases the methadone has been a major factor in their deaths. At worst, a normal dose can kill a person who is not a heavy drug-user.
  (Aftenposten, Sunday edition)
• Twelve serious traffic accidents resulted in eight fatalities and 18 injuries this past weekend. The Norwegian Society for Road Safety is pessimistic after the high numbers of fatalities on the nation’s roads. The trend this year has been towards an increase in the number of accidents. From January until May, there was a ten per cent increase in the number of accidents resulting in personal injury that were reported to the police.
  (Aftenposten)
• Four out of ten Oslo residents spend almost half their income on housing. The situation is worst for single people, who are also those with the lowest incomes. (Dagsavisen, Saturday edition)
• The women’s movement is trying to make certain that Karita Bekkemellom Orheim will be assigned to a top-level position within the Labour Party. Now they want to alter the party’s rules to guarantee Ms. Orheim, the current head of women’s policy issues, a place at the top. (Dagsavisen, Saturday edition)
• There is total confusion as to the status of the 37 000 properties owned by the state. Famous landmarks such as the Storting building and the Eidsvoll building have not been listed as protected buildings. The state has no overview of historical monuments and lacks an organized policy for preserving them. This has a negative impact on their maintenance. (Aftenposten, Saturday edition)

Today’s comment from Nationen:

At long last the Labour Party is doing something about its desire to establish binding cooperation with other parties. Although Jens Stoltenberg has emphasized to the young politicians gathered at the traditional Labour Youth League summer camp at Utøya that there will be no cooperation with the Christian Democratic Party during this term, the signals being sent by key Labour politicians are unmistakable: they want to form a coalition government with other parties in order to return to power. On several occasions, Nationen has recommended a coalition between the centrist parties and Labour. We continue to do so because there is a greater need for a dynamic alternative to the conservative parties than ever before. Sooner or later, Prime Minister Bondevik will reach his threshold of pain. When that time comes, it will be advantageous if other parties can openly initiate cooperation to form an alternative to the Conservative-Progress alliance. This alternative should consist of Labour, Centre and the Christian Democrats.