The Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Oslo Press Division

Norway Daily No. 63/00

Date: 29 March 2000

STOLTENBERG KEEPS BONDEVIK’S BUSINESS LIST (Dagsavisen)

The Stoltenberg Government yesterday decided to retract only two minor items from the list of business submitted by the Bondevik Government and not yet dealt with by the Storting. The Government announced that it will submit a supplementary environmental policy statement, but the other items will remain. Kjell Magne Bondevik, now parliamentary leader for the Christian Democrats, takes this as a sign of good will from Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. This will provide a good basis for constructive activity in the Storting. We are pleased, considering that this also indicates that the main outlines of the coalition Government’s policies are likely to pass the Storting, says Mr. Bondevik.

FOOD PRICES TO COME DOWN (Aftenposten)

Minister of Agriculture Bjarne Håkon Hanssen promises a reduction in some food prices starting this summer. He does not point out any specific food categories, but indicates that items figuring high in cross-border trade, as well as farm products of particular importance to the food processing industry, will receive special attention. Most types of meat are likely candidates. The Labour Government is inclined to give farmers tax relief in the form of special deductions—a reversal of views previously held by Labour on provisions of this type.

JAGLAND TO COZY UP TO EU (Aftenposten)

Foreign Minister Thorbjørn Jagland is working to achieve closer cooperation with the EU in most areas. We must increase our awareness of what is going on in the rest of Europe and pursue a more offensive European policy. Appropriate measures include getting involved in new areas of political cooperation, said Mr. Jagland on his visit to Brussels yesterday. He would also like to increase the frequency of minister-level meetings between Norway and the EU.

NOT TO WORRY—SAY INFORMED PERSONS (Verdens Gang)

Three days before a looming strike, the atmosphere of the labour negotiations is strained. Central persons in the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) as well as in the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) say they do not expect a conflict, however. All the signs indicate that on Friday night, it will be up to state mediator Reidar Webster to put together a compromise proposal. 21,500 LO members could walk off the job starting at 6:00 Saturday morning if they do not reach agreement.

HÅGENSEN THREATENS NEW TWIST (Dagsavisen)

Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) president Yngve Hågensen demands immediate movement in the negotiations with the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO). If no response is forthcoming, Mr. Hågensen may contact the heads of major corporations in an effort to put pressure on the NHO negotiators. According to a number of people, this is a move Mr. Hågensen is considering seriously. He is extremely irritated by the employer representatives’ disinclination to negotiate.

NEW CURRENT ACCOUNT RECORD (Dagens Næringsliv)

Norway’s current account hit an all-time high in January at NOK 13.6 billion. It was only one-half billion the previous January. The current account is the sum of the national balance of payments on goods and services and on net interest and transfers.

NEW ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES FROM BJERKE (Dagbladet)

Minister of the Environment Siri Bjerke will submit a number of environmental bills on issues which the Bondevik Government had major difficulties dealing with. The bills include a zoning plan for wolves. Ms. Bjerke also says she will soon submit a plan for saving the endangered Norwegian wild salmon.

WORTH NOTING

• The Labour Party has voted to partially privatize Statoil and open the door for international alliances. Minister of Petroleum and Energy Olav Akselsen wants to speed up the process, and will submit a bill to this effect before summer. (Dagsavisen)
• Statoil admits that its golden handshake agreement with former CEO Harald Norvik should have been disclosed in its Annual Report. The Vital insurance company has calculated that this hidden pension plan is worth NOK 29 million—more than Mr. Norvik earned in the 12 years he worked for the state-owned oil company. (Aftenposten)
• DnB board chairman Jannik Lindbæk calls for higher salaries for top-ranking corporate executives in Norway, but popular opinion says no. Four out of five Norwegians feel corporate executives already earn too much. (Dagbladet)
• The urban district committee decided yesterday to allow Muslims to call the faithful to prayer at their mosque in Oslo’s Grønland district. They also decided to allow the Hedningsamfunnet, an organization of atheists, to shout their message from the rooftops ten times a year as well. These were purely technical decisions based on statutes applying to noise. (Aftenposten)
• Over 200 people in Finnmark have been evacuated from potential avalanche sites. More storms are forecast in the area, and no one is allowed to return to their homes yet. Hotels in the region are doing a brisk business in one of the biggest peacetime evacuation operations ever seen in Norway. (NTB)

TODAY’S COMMENT from Aftenposten

Too little, too expensive and too late pretty much sums up the standing of the new National Hospital, which is now opening up for service gradually, and at long last. An investigation of the scandal surrounding construction project is absolutely essential, but it is by no means certain that it should be conducted by the Storting’s Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs. For there is no longer any doubt that the Storting itself has played a significant role in the formidable budget overruns and recurring delays that have beset this national project. We do not doubt that criticism should be levelled at a number of Ministers of Health from various parties in the past 10 years, nor that the incompetence of the Directorate of Public Construction and Property also deserves scrutiny. But the fact that the Storting shares the responsibility for the scandalous planning and organization of the construction of Norway’s National Hospital indicates that disinterested persons should be called in to conduct this probe. Part of the Storting’s function is to keep a watch on the Government, but since the Storting’s own conduct is under question, the job should be left to someone else entirely.