The Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Oslo Press Division

Norway Daily No. 93/00

Date: 16 May 2000

JAGLAND: A MORE ACTIVE EUROPEAN POLICY (Dagsavisen)

We will pursue more active European policies than the last Government did. Norway must be a partner for peace and stability in Europe. We will respect the referendum vote from 1994, but we aim to make room for Norway to manoeuvre, and this also applies to our form of association with the EU. The many processes of change going on in Europe are radically altering the basic framework for European cooperation, including Norwegian foreign policy, said Foreign Minister Thorbjørn Jagland at his first international press conference in Oslo yesterday.

YES-WIND IN JAGLAND’S SAILS (Nationen)

A pro-membership wind is blowing across the country for Foreign Minister Thorbjørn Jagland. For the first time, Nationen’s poll went in favour of EU membership. 46,5 said they were for EU membership, while 43 per cent said they opposed it. Pro-membership opinion has climbed sharply, with a 4.3 per cent increase since April. Most interesting, perhaps, is the fact that many doubters have finally made up their minds, with most coming down on the pro-EU side.

MUNICIPAL ECONOMY HEADED FOR THE ROCKS (Aftenposten)

As things now stand, county and local governments look set to run NOK 12 billion in the red this year–one billion more than last year’s record deficit. And things could get even worse as the effects of the labour settlement materialize, not to mention the probability of further interest rate hikes. This raises expectations regarding the municipal economy proposition to new heights. The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development cannot simply accept the new deficit figure. Something must be done about government grants, says Halvdan Skar, head of the Norwegian Association of Local Authorities (KS).

HIGHER TOLLS FOR RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC (Aftenposten)

A parliamentary majority favours an extra rush-hour charge added to the tolls collected on the roads into the largest cities. Minister of Transport and Communications Terje More Gustavsen announced yesterday that the Government will submit a road-use assessment bill this autumn which will empower local authorities to charge higher tolls during the hours of the day when traffic is heaviest.

CENTRE MAY SPLIT KREDITKASSEN (Verdens Gang)

The Centre Party’s parliamentary group is contemplating a split-up of the Kreditkassen, a 150-year-old commercial bank and the next biggest finance institution in Norway. The proposal, which was deliberated at last Wednesday’s parliamentary group meeting, would simply dissolve the Kreditkassen and divide it between Den norske Bank (DnB) and the Sparebank1 Group. Since it involves sensitive information in a stock market context, I cannot make any comment, says Johan J. Jakobsen (Centre).

WORTH NOTING

• An armed man entered a child-care facility in Hjelmeland, Rogaland, yesterday and took 35 children and adults hostage. The drama ended after 11 hours, when the last of the children and adults were released unharmed. The man’s motives are to be found in a domestic tragedy which recently took place. (all newspapers)
• No comment, say Norwegian church leaders. Ecclesiastical leaders are inclined to leave the Crown Prince alone and refuse to comment on the relationship between the future head of the Church of Norway and his girlfriend, Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby. (Vårt Land)
• Telenor Group CEO Tormod Hermansen is making record investments prior to the launching of Telenor on the stock exchange this autumn. So far this year, Telenor has invested NOK 10 billion in corporations in Norway and abroad. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• The number of roundabouts in Norway has gone up from 15 to 1000 in 20 years, according to a tally taken by the Institute of Transport Economics (TØI). The TØI urges road authorities to keep building new roundabouts, especially where roads enter built-up areas. (Aftenposten)

TODAY’S COMMENT from Verdens Gang

Reactions to Crown Prince Haakon’s statement concerning his private affairs have mostly been positive, sensible and balanced. The most negative reaction so far comes from the Tromsø newspaper Nordlys, which took the opportunity to suggest that the time may be ripe to do away with the monarchy. We respect the republican ideals invoked by Nordlys, though we disagree with the conclusion. The monarchy is an anachronism in a democracy, no doubt about it. Yet it is an institution which has served Norway well for the past 95 years. It is important to grasp the pith of the issues raised by the marriage of a Crown Prince. In all likelihood, Crown Prince Haakon will marry a commoner. Whoever she is, there are likely to be events in her past which some may find difficult to accept. But we must bear in mind that the marriage of the Crown Prince will not take place in a bygone age. The point at issue here is too important to be decided on the basis of narrow considerations. We must all approach the matter with a generous spirit and give Crown Prince Haakon the freedom to choose his own wife. It would be appalling if he were to be kept from marrying the woman of his own choice. The history of monarchies offers plenty of examples showing what can become of that.