The Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oslo
Press Division

Parties award record subsidies to themselves (Aftenposten)

The members of the Storting have given themselves a generous new year’s gift. In a budget that otherwise was gone over with a fine toothcomb to find areas in which cuts could be made, they have awarded themselves substantial extra financial support ahead of the general elections this autumn. The tax payer will therefore have to stump up an additional NOK 12 million in state funding for the parties, which now totals a massive NOK 242 million. Only the Progress Party opposed the move and suggested a NOK 50-60 million cut in party funding.

NHO wants more immigration (Dagens Næringsliv)

The Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) has called on the Storting to allow free immigration from those countries in Central and Eastern Europe which have applied for EU membership. These 12 countries have a total population of 106 million. The NHO wants the rules changed by the end of the year. "Norway must permit the free movement of workers from these countries as soon as possible. The alternative is to wait until they become members of the EU. We believe that Norway should unilaterally change its immigration policy now – not least because of the severe shortage of labour experienced by Norwegian companies," says Knut Sørlie of the NHO.

Privatization costs nok 1.2 billion (Dagsavisen)

The privatization of state industries is profitable for the state, but it also generates substantial revenues for the financial institutions. The fees for broking, legal and consulting services in connection with current and recently completed privatization projects total more than NOK 1,250 million. At present 16 stock brokers are competing to handle the largest stock exchange flotation in Norwegian history – Statoil. If the Government sells 25 per cent of Statoil to private investors, the financial institutions will earn NOK 700 million in fees.

Armed forces have spent nok 1.6 billion on golden handshakes (Aftenposten)

In just four months the Norwegian Armed Forces have spent around NOK 1.6 billion to get 1,600 employees to quit. 2,600 employees have applied for the severance package. 60 have been turned down and the remainder are still being processed. "Many of those who are now leaving the forces are people we would rather retain. But there are still many good people left," says Colonel Einar Harald Askebakke of the Headquarters Defence Command Norway.

Police and healthcare top priorities (Nationen)

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has promised to transfer over 400 police officers from desk jobs to active crime-fighting. But the most significant reform in the public sector comes in the health service. Mr Stoltenberg points to the paradox that Norway has one of the highest per capita ratios of doctors and teachers in Europe, and that there is practically no other public service that has grown faster than the police in recent years. " Yet despite this, we have a shortage of doctors, teachers and police officers. We are not spending our money wisely enough," says Mr Stoltenberg.

Reve quits chaos (Dagsavisen)

Following Torger Reve’s resignation as chairman of NRK, the Norwegian national broadcasting company, there is growing concern within the organization that it will lose out in competition with TV2 and other media enterprises. It is the first time a professional board of directors has attempted to hire a chief executive, and it led to the worst management chaos in NRK’s history. Five months after the new board was appointed with Torger Reve as chairman, the company is still without a successor to current chief executive Einar Førde. It remains unclear whether Cultural Affairs Minister Ellen Horn will replace the rest of the board.

NRK must have a new editor-in-chief (Vårt Land)

"The head of NRK must not only be a financial and administrative leader, but also an editor-in-chief. NRK is a company for whom the viewing figures are important, but other things are important too. NRK must represent culture, education and reliability. This means that any chief executive must have a thorough knowledge of social and current affairs, and be a prominent cultural personality," says former NRK chairman Kåre Willoch. He believes there is some doubt about the type of leader NRK is looking for.

Worth noting

• Norway’s close links with Israel meant that PLO leader Yasir Arafat could use Norwegian politicians as go-betweens. Hilde Henriksen Waage, a researcher with the International Peace Research Institute (PRIO) in Oslo, rejects the myth surrounding the Norwegian peace initiative, and the claim that Norway had a particularly good relationship with the PLO. But in a report on the Middle East peace process she writes that Norwegian politicians, and in particular Terje Rød-Larsen, succeeded in seizing the opportunity when it arose. (Aftenposten)

• All Norwegian personnel who have served in international peace keeping operations since 1990 are to be offered a medical check-up. Almost 30,000 military and civilian personnel have participated in UN and Nato missions during the past decade. (Aftenposten)

• The Government plans to reduce the size of the 3,500 strong rapid deployment force Norway can contribute to international operations, but will increase its effectiveness. We need a flexible and modern defence adapted to the demands of international cooperation, said Defence Minister Tore Godal yesterday. (Aftenposten)

• At least 1,000 fewer refugees who have been granted asylum in Norway are waiting for a place to live than four months ago. According to the Norwegian Association of Local Authorities, the queue will be further reduced this year. (Dagsavisen)

• Norwegian companies achieved export revenues of NOK 209 billion in 2000, an increase of 13 per cent on the year before. The largest improvement came in the manufacturing sector, which accounts for NOK 110 billion. The increase in exports is due to greater capacity, better prices on international markets and the USD exchange rate. (NTB)

Today’s comment from Nationen

NRK’s board has hunted high and low for a new chief executive, but personalities from the world of culture have not been asked. It is a thought-provoking, not to say frightening, omission. Following Torger Reve’s dramatic departure as chairman, all those involved should take another look at what kind of leader a cultural institution like NRK should have at its head. Cultural Affairs Minister Ellen Horn, in particular, should seize the opportunity to bring some clarity to this question. There is no doubt that such an exercise is needed. Einar Førde’s regime leaves behind a legacy of financial ruin that could bring NRK to its knees. It is therefore obvious that any new chief executive will have to have a strong financial team behind him or her. But that is not to say the individual has to be an accountant themselves. On the contrary, The person who leads NRK towards new horizons should preferably have a different kind of ballast. It is Ellen Horn’s task to appoint a new chairman who understands this fact, and who is reminded of it along the way. We hope she recognizes her responsibility after the Reve debacle. If she does not, NRK’s future will be a matter of serious concern.