Icelandic minister warns that EEA negotiations could break down (Dagbladet)

Iceland’s Foreign Minister Halldor Asgrimsson has warned that the ongoing negotiations to renew the EEA Agreement could break down. Mr Asgrimsson is angry over the size of the EU’s financial demands. "The EU is demanding huge sums of money and access to our fisheries resources. And in return we are to get nothing that we do not already have," said Mr Asgrimsson. He believes the negotiations could break down altogether if the EU does not change its strategy.

Swedish minister says Norway will pay a high price for not joining the EU (Dagbladet)

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Anna Lindh says that the political and economic price Norway will have to pay for remaining outside the EU will only get bigger. Foreign Minister Jan Petersen’s hope of getting some help from the Swedes during the difficult EEA negotiations has not borne fruit. "The thing is that if you want to have a say in what the money is spent on, you also have to be a member – which you are heartily welcome to become," said Ms Lindh.

Bondevik’s heir apparent says yes to EU membership (Dagbladet)

Knut Arild Hareide (30) is the Christian Democratic Party’s heir apparent. There are strong indications that he could become deputy leader of the party as early as May this year. And he wants Norway to join the EU. "I believe Norway should join the EU, particularly after its expansion eastwards. Europe’s richest nations are now giving countries that are struggling economically the opportunity to develop themselves," Mr Hareide said in an interview with VG. Though he has argued in favour of Norwegian membership of the EU privately within the party itself and its youth wing, this is the first time he has publicly disclosed his views on EU membership.

Krekar willing to be questioned by USA (Aftenposten)

Mullah Krekar feels safe in Norway. He has neither asked for nor been offered police protection. "I am ready to go to the US Embassy at any time and answer any questions they may have. I would do so to prevent any conflict from arising between Norway and the USA. Norway has always protected me and my family. We had nothing and no rights, and Norway gave us everything. It is therefore my duty not to harm Norway in any way," said Mullah Krekar.

Minister willing to sell Statkraft to foreigners (Dagsavisen)

Trade and Industry Minister Ansgar Gabrielsen (Con) wants to privatize even more of Norway’s power industry. And according to Mr Gabrielsen, even foreign investors should be allowed to acquire parts of Statkraft, the state-owned power generator. Labour’s trade and industry spokesman, former Energy Minister Olav Akselsen, claims that we are now seeing the private electricity market’s darker side. "The proposal to privatize Statkraft is unwise," he said.

Dørum refuses to answer (Verdens Gang)

Justice Minister Odd Einar Dørum (Lib) is refusing to say whether he asked State Secretary Atle Hamar to overturn the decision not to grant asylum to the brother of a Christian Democrat politician of Pakistani origin. "This is a matter for the Storting’s Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs Committee. Whatever I have to say on the issue will be found in the Government’s response to the Committee’s questions. It is a matter of keeping one’s roles separate," he said.

Defence Minister forced to explain actions in dispute with former employee (Dagsavisen)

Defence Minister Kristin Krohn Devold (Con) is being forced to explain why she has withdrawn an appeal against the ruling in an industrial dispute involving a former Ministry of Defence employee. Ms Krohn Devold is under pressure from a parliamentary majority, after Labour joined the Socialist Left Party, Progress Party and Centre Party in demanding to know why she withdrew an appeal against a ruling in favour of the employee against whom the Ministry of Defence had initiated proceedings. This is something she has so far not been willing to do.

400 patients die of hospital infections (Dagbladet)

Norwegian hospitals are teeming with deadly infections. One in ten patients contracts an infection while admitted to hospital. Every year around 400 of them die. Between 600,000 and 700,000 patients are treated at Norwegian hospitals every year. Around 8-12 per cent become infected with sinister bacteria and develop serious illnesses during their hospital stay. This costs hospitals around NOK 1 billion a year, but the cost to society as a whole is probably five times as great.

Valgerd identifies alternative leaders for Christian Democratic Party (Dagsavisen)

Valgerd Svarstad Haugland has identified several possible candidates to replace her as chairman of the Christian Democratic Party, should she decide to step down. Ms Svarstad Haugland will announce tomorrow whether she will be standing for re-election or not. "The point is that we have been struggling, and I am wondering whether I am the right person to lift us back up again," she said, while maintaining that she has not yet made up her mind.

Environmental watchdog issues warning after toxins found in seafood (Aftenposten)

Environmental toxins that pose as great a hazard to health and the natural environment as PCBs are leaching from rubbish dumps in the country’s southeastern region. The toxins, which originate from electrical goods such as television sets and personal computers, have been found in both mussels and the livers of cod fished from the upper reaches of the Oslo Fjord. The toxins could cause liver and nerve damage in young children, and could impair their reproductive capacity. They are spread through soil, air and water pollution.

1. Worth Noting

• The press believes that self-regulation is good enough. Norwegian newspaper editors claim that the press exercises a large degree of self-regulation, among other things, through the Press Complaints Commission. No one wants the introduction of a media ombudsman. In an article in yesterday’s Aftenposten, Labour leader Jens Stoltenberg called for the Norwegian media to show a greater willingness to cast a critical eye on its own activities.
  (Aftenposten)
• ID theft is on the rise in Norway. The National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime believes that stealing someone’s identity is too easy in Norway. "The problem is increasing year by year," said Hans Jacob Anonsen of the Norwegian Financial Service Association. It costs the banks millions of kroner, and they are now calling for the creation of a national register of stolen identification papers and identities that have been misappropriated.
  (Aftenposten)
• Per Olaf Lundteigen is stepping down as chairman of the Centre Party’s Buskerud branch one year before his term of office expires. He has told the branch selection committee that he is worn out and has asked to be relieved of his duties. "Per Olav told us that he feels the need to hand over to someone else and take a break. We must find a new candidate for chairman by the branch meeting on 1 February," said Elisabeth Færden, chairman of the branch selection committee.
  (Nationen)
• According to a memo from the Tax Commission, a proposal for a tax system which would mean increased tax levels for certain capital revenues will be laid before the Finance Minister in a few weeks’ time. Finance Minister Per-Kristian Foss has previously attacked proposals for progress taxation of company profits.
  (Dagens Næringsliv)
• Shell is warning politicians not to believe that opening the Barents Sea is the answer to the collapse of oil and gas exploration activities on the Norwegian continental shelf. The oil companies’ tough, and apparently unanimous stance in demanding access to the Barents Sea is, it seems, starting to crack. "We believe it is important to open up new areas, but the significance of the Barents Sea should not be overestimated," said Johan Nic. Vold, a senior executive at Norske Shell.
  (Aftenposten)
• While 55 per cent of parents are anxious about their children walking to school, only nine per cent of the children themselves think the route to school is dangerous. Parents’ fears mean that many children are driven to school, often against their wishes. According to a recent survey carried out on behalf of the Public Roads Administration, half of those children who are currently driven to school, would prefer to walk.
  (Dagsavisen)
• Detectives from the National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime have discovered clues to the existence of Swiss trust funds controlled by the men behind Finance Credit, Torgeir Stensrud and Trond G. Kristoffersen. The court-appointed liquidators, who are trying to sort out the now bankrupt company’s financial affairs, set off yesterday on a treasure hunt encompassing several European countries.

2. Today’s comment from Dagbladet

Christian Democratic Party chairwoman Valgerd Svarstad Haugland will tell the party’s selection committee tomorrow whether she wishes to stand for re-election or not. After her decision last year to allow an open discussion on who should occupy the party’s two deputy leader slots, voices were quickly heard demanding that she, too, consider her own position as leader. She is now doing exactly that – and in public – with the aim of providing both herself and the party with the basis on which to make a decision. When the party’s popularity was high, Ms Svarstad Haugland was obliged to stand in Kjell Magne Bondevik’s shadow. It is he who is still seen as the party’s real leader. As prime minister of two governments and with a long political career behind him, Mr Bondevik has had greater authority and has been given most of the credit for the party’s success. In addition, Mr Bondevik’s most conspicuous quality is that he has a unifying effect on a party whose members do not have much in common beyond their basic Christian beliefs. The ability to bring people together is not a quality we associate with Ms Svarstad Haugland. On the contrary, she is both controversial and confrontational, and many party activists believe that she is not always particularly wise in her choice of words. As a result she has reaped more criticism than praise. But no one can accuse her of not being visible in the political debate. In that respect she has fronted the party’s core values and done her share of the job of winning voters from a broader section of society than the traditionally Christian Democratic enclaves. However, the party is now struggling badly in the polls. It is not surprising that the party leadership should look at its own performance in an effort to find the reason why. But the cause of the party’s slide in popularity is rooted deeper than Valgerd’s leadership abilities. Heading a Conservative-dominated government with the support of the Progress Party has been an enormous strain for a value-oriented centrist party. If the voters are now punishing the Christian Democratic Party it is because they do not like what they see. They see a party which has been more concerned with winning power than fighting for policies the party can stand behind. But the Christian Democrats’ choice of partners is something that the party leadership as a whole must take responsibility for. It could be deemed cowardly to run away from that responsibility before the voters have had their say. And there is no "Messiah" out there waiting to take over the "communion cup" from Ms Svarstad Haugland’s hands and raise the Christian Democratic Party to new heights.