Norwegian offenders could serve time in foreign prisons (Aftenposten)

Norway currently has 1,599 convicted criminals waiting for a prison cell to become available so that they can serve their sentences. This is an increase of 50 per cent compared with 1999, though there are significant regional differences. To put an end to this situation the Ministry of Justice is considering renting prison space abroad. The Ministry has already been in contact with the authorities in Sweden and Denmark with a view to renting prison cells there. So far the answer has been negative. Our Nordic neighbours do not have enough prison cells to meet their own demand. More Norwegian convicts may therefore be obliged to share a cell.

Labour promises tax cuts (Dagsavisen)

For the first time Finance Minister Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen has promised a cut in direct and indirect taxes. However, he is refusing to say how large the tax cuts will be if the Labour Party remains in office after the election. The Conservatives’ Per-Kristian Foss, on the other hand, is predicting a substantial tax hike if Labour wins the election. "The Labour Party is sitting on a secret, unfunded tax bill of over NOK 10 billion," warned Mr Foss.

Voters face disappointment (Aftenposten)

So far in this election campaign the parties have promised that local authorities will provide single rooms for the elderly, nursery places for all, the renovation of school buildings, the abolition of parental payments for school materials and other classroom activities. And there are still 20 days to go until polling day. But the local authorities will not be able to fulfil all the promises made by the national politicians, according to Tom Veierød, chief executive of the Norwegian Association of Local Authorities (KS).

Conservatives return to the offensive (NTB/Nationen)

The Conservatives will counter their recent slide in the polls with renewed attacks on the Labour Party. "This latest development should be a warning to all those who want to see a change of government. It is increasingly plain that the election will hinge on the outcome of the battle between the Labour Party and the Conservatives," said Per-Kristian Foss deputy leader of the Conservative Party’s parliamentary group.

EU causes problems for Statoil (Dagens Næringsliv)

The stream of new regulations coming from the EU is making the situation in the European market extremely uncertain for Statoil, according to Peter Mellbye, head of Statoil’s Natural Gas Division. A recent example is the uncertainty created by the claim by one of the EU’s representatives in Norway that a future gas sales agreement between Norway and Poland would be rendered invalid by the EU.

Bondevik now ready to use EEA veto (Nationen)

Kjell Magne Bondevik has now declared that he would back a Norwegian veto to prevent the EU’s controversial patents directive becoming law within the EEA. "This directive raises such important ethical questions that it must be brought into the election campaign. I challenge the other parties to make their views on this issue clear," said Mr Bondevik. The Stoltenberg government has been indecisive over the question, but has recently sent a proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) which is at odds with the provisions of the EU’s patents directive.

Police demand more cash (Dagsavisen)

"Give us NOK 1.5 billion more during the next parliamentary term so we can step up our fight against crime." This is the challenge being sent to Norway’s politicians by the police. "Today our total budget is some NOK 6 billion. I do not believe we are exaggerating when we say that this figure should be increased by NOK 1.5 billion," said Arne Johannessen, head of the Police Union.

Worth Noting

• Three men have been charged in connection with the June 1997 bombing in Drammen of the headquarters of the motorcycle gang, Bandidos. Gjensidige NOR Forsikring, one of Norway’s major insurance companies, has announced that if the men are convicted, the company will sue them for up to NOK 300 million. (Aftenposten)
• UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is pleased with the support Norway is providing for the fight against AIDS. Mr Annan yesterday concluded his stay in Norway, which started with a private holiday and was followed by a two-day official visit. (Vårt Land)

• The Liberals have finally been invited to participate in a TV debate. This evening former Justice Minister Odd Einar Dørum will join the panel during NRK’s televised public meeting on crime and immigration policy. (Dagbladet)
• The Norwegian Armed Forces will chose the NH-90 helicopter, produced by a European consortium of helicopter manufacturers, no matter what our Nordic partners may decide. Norway is planning to buy 14 helicopters and has an option to purchase a further 10. (Aftenposten)
• From top to bottom in just three years. Fish processing is less profitable now than it has been at practically any time. While record high salmon prices made 2000 a bonanza year for fish farmers, astronomically high cod prices spelled disaster for the country’s traditional fishing industry. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• The number of road deaths has fallen this summer. 81 people were killed on the roads from the beginning of May until the end of July, 16 fewer than last summer. (Aftenposten)
• Sweden is rejoicing over a sharp upturn in the number of tourists, Denmark has started to turn a downward trend into new growth, while Norway’s tourist industry is the loser. The negative trend comes despite the fact that tourism is growing internationally. (Dagens Næringsliv)

Today’s comment from Aftenposten

The campaign debates between Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Conservative Party leader Jan Petersen have shown that both men see the importance of highlighting the political differences between the two parties. The opinion polls indicate that the Labour Party has most to gain from such a tactic. This evening Mr Stoltenberg will meet Kjell Magne Bondevik, the prime ministerial candidate of the centre alliance. It will be a quite different debate. Mr Bondevik’s strength lies not in the fact that the voters support the centre alliance, but that they prefer him as prime minister. We can therefore expect to see as much a battle over who should govern, as over which policies should be implemented. Mr Bondevik must try to save what little is left of the centre alliance’s credibility as a government alternative. But at the same time, he must not fudge his chances of becoming prime minister of a coalition in which the Conservatives are the largest party. The most interesting thing about this evening’s debate will be to see if Mr Bondevik succeeds in this without his balancing act being exposed by Mr Stoltenberg.