Stoltenberg proposed – was accepted twice (Aftenposten)

Jens Stoltenberg intends to put together a majority coalition alternative before the next election, and has proposed to both the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party. "This time I believe Jens Stoltenberg’s proposal is sincere," said Socialist Left Party leader Kristin Halvorsen, who is quite prepared to get engaged. Odd Roger Enoksen, leader of the Centre Party, is not opposed to a future collaboration with Labour either.

Christian Democrats rebuff Jens Stoltenberg’s overtures (Dagbladet)

"Jens Stoltenberg has not demonstrated any willingness to work with the Christian Democratic Party. That is why we cannot take his offer of a coalition partnership seriously," said Odd Anders With, deputy leader of the Christian Democratic Party. "If our current government partnership continues up until the general election in 2005, the Christian Democrats will probably ask the voters for support for an extension of our collaboration with the Conservatives and Liberals," he said.

Christian Democrats tempted by Labour offer (Dagsavisen)

The Christian Democrats should choose the left in Norwegian politics, according to a majority of the party’s branch chairmen. They would prefer Labour to the Progress Party, and have begged Kjell Magne Bondevik to agree on this year’s national budget with the Labour Party. "If Mr Stoltenberg means what he says he must show that he can cooperate with today’s government," said Jan Kåre Aurdal of the Christian Democrats’ Møre and Romsdal branch. A number of leading Christian Democrats are also open for a collaboration with the Socialist Left Party.

Hagen unbeatable in summer (Dagbladet)

Few other politicians get so much media coverage during the summer as Progress Party chairman Carl I. Hagen. The summer’s first opinion poll from Sentio-Norsk Statistikk, published yesterday, showed a substantial lead for the Progress Party, which surged ahead by 5.1 percentage points to 30.6 per cent. Support for the other large and medium-sized parties dropped significantly. Dagbladet asked former political correspondents Terje Svabø and Aslak Bonde why Carl I. Hagen is making such a strong showing and is able to shape the political agenda to such a extent during the summer. They put it down to Mr Hagen’s political astuteness and his opponents’ holiday sluggishness. "The summer months are high season for ‘simple’ political issues, and they are often driven by media headlines. This is a game at which Carl I. Hagen is a master," said Aslak Bonde.

Ministry slams Petoro (Aftenposten)

The Petroleum and Energy Ministry have rejected the 2003 budget proposed by the state-owned oil giant Petoro because the company wants to grow beyond the limits set by the Storting. Last year the Storting voted to create Petoro to look after the state’s oil and gas interests on the Norwegian continental shelf. Around 30 per cent of the country’s oil and gas deposits are owned directly by the state. The Storting specified that the company should have 60 employees. MPs were worried that the company would become too ambitious and grow too fast. The Storting therefore set clear limits on Petoro’s business activities. In its budget proposals for 2003 the company has indicated a workforce of 60 permanent staff, 20 temporary employees and has said it will outsource certain projects. But in a letter to Petoro’s board, the Petroleum and Energy Ministry have given a very definite thumbs down to these proposals.

Socialist Left Party wants debate on Norwegian involvement in Afghanistan (Dagbladet)

Norway is participating in a war with an alarming number of civilian casualties. A war whose end no one can foresee, because it is almost impossible to define what would constitute a ‘victory’. The Socialist Left Party has now called for a debate on the war in Afghanistan. The party will today send Foreign Minister Jan Petersen a list of 11 questions, asking him to explain what kind of information Norway receives on civilian losses and clarify what kind of operations Norwegian soldiers are permitted to take part in.

Competition among retail chemists has pushed up prices (Aftenposten)

When three major chains of retail chemists threw themselves into the market last year consumers were promised lower prices. They have not materialized. Indeed, non-prescription medicines have got more expensive. And the large chains charge much more than the small, independent chemists. According to the Consumer Council, consumers must become more price-conscious. While sales of prescription drugs are still subject to state price controls, retail chemists are free to charge what they like for non-prescription medicines. It was in this particular area that the then Health Minister Tore Tønne claimed we would see prices come tumbling down.

Worth Noting

• Celebrity vicar Per Arne Dahl has come under heavy fire because he refuses to say where he stands on a number of key church policy issues before it has been decided who will be appointed as the new Bishop of Tunsberg. "If this were a normal election, the voters would have a right to know what the candidates stood for," said Inge Lønning, vice president of the Storting and himself a professor of theology. (Aftenposten)
• Norwegian investors are afraid that the tax on dividends is about to be reintroduced. While MPs squabble over yet another change in the tax laws, the rich are putting huge dividend payouts in their pockets. In 2001 Norway’s 500 largest companies paid out NOK 37.5 billion in dividends. The figure for 2000 was NOK 26.5 billion, up 16.4 per cent on the year before. (Dagbladet)
• Norwegian financial analysts believe the geo-services company, PGS, will be forced into debt settlement negotiations following the failure of its attempts to merge with the Canadian company, Veritas. PGS has debts of around NOK 20 billion. The Odin unit trust funds have been stockpiling PGS shares since the new year. After yesterday’s slump in the company’s share price, it is clear that Odin has made a substantial loss. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• In the first six months of 2002 a total of 1,500 people were granted asylum or leave to remain on humanitarian grounds, compared with 4,300 during the whole of 2001. 132 of the 1,500 were granted asylum, which means they have been given refugee status. The remainder were granted leave to remain on humanitarian grounds. (NTB)
• Conservative Party leader Jan Petersen has defended his youthful party members’ right to speak out about conditions they are unhappy about in the Storting. "It is absolutely out of the question to reprimand Ine Marie Eriksen, leader of the young Conservatives, for her comments on the atmosphere and working practices of the Storting. Young people must be allowed to say that much," he said. (NTB)
• Storebrand’s management is also considering whether they have legal grounds to sue Den norske Bank (DnB) following the failure of the proposed merger between the two companies. A decision could be made on 14 August. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• Norwegian hospitals make their cancer patients suffer unnecessarily by waiting too long before treating the symptoms of anaemia. The Norwegian practice is at odds with the recommendations of the Norwegian Medicines Agency. (Dagsavisen)

Today’s comment from Dagbladet, Verdens Gang and Klassekampen

The next general election is more than three years away, and the Labour Party is already busy debating who it should collaborate with after the election. In an interview with VG yesterday, incoming Labour leader Jens Stoltenberg invited the Socialist Left Party, Centre Party and Christian Democrats to join a future government coalition. If it proves impossible to form a majority government Mr Stoltenberg wants to get firm commitments of support from the other parties so that his government will have majority backing in the Storting. In this way the country will be assured of stable, long-term government, and will no longer suffer under weak minority regimes. It might be tempting to advise Mr Stoltenberg to clarify his own political position and manifesto first, so that the voters can decide whether they like what he is offering before the matter of government even comes up for discussion. At the moment we note that there is disagreement within the party as to who Labour should cooperate with. Labour’s youth movement and the deputy leader candidate Trond Giske do not want any alliance with the Christian Democrats. This demonstrates a disagreement over political direction. However, Mr Stoltenberg’s invitation shows that the Labour Party finally means what it says about cooperating with other parties. (Dagbladet) Jens Stoltenberg is right to say that we cannot continue with minority governments which zigzag from side to side and do not take responsibility for the country’s overall political direction. But we are not sure that now is the time for the Labour Party to commit itself to a specific party line-up in a future majority government. The party suffered a humiliating defeat at he last elections. The correct thing to do now is to consolidate, put together a unified and effective leadership team and build itself up again from a position in opposition. (Verdens Gang) When Jens Stoltenberg says that the three opposition parties, Labour, the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party, should prepare the way for a majority alliance after the election in 2005, his appeal represents a new approach and is definitely an attempt to meet the party’s left wing and the unions half way. For the Socialist Left Party, led by Kristin Halvorsen and Øystein Djupedal, Mr Stoltenberg’s invitation is another small victory on the road to government office. But that road is a twisty mountain path, paved with sharp stones. And the party leadership is in imminent danger of slipping and crashing into the abyss. (Klassekampen)