Norwegian language courses for immigrants – 10 per cent take proficiency test (Aftenposten)

This year NOK 600 million has been set aside to teach immigrants Norwegian. In 2000 only 10 per cent of the 22,000 course participants took the final proficiency test. "There is a clear discrepancy between the resources allocated and the results achieved when NOK 530 million was spent in 2000 on language courses which only around 1,500 passed," it says in a letter which the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry has sent to relevant committees of the Storting.

Admits sex with under-age girl (Dagbladet)

Only six months after the previous political earthquake in the Progress Party, the tremors are back. The father of a 15-year-old girl has filed a complaint with the police alleging that a leading figure in the Progress Party’s youth wing had sex with his under-age daughter. The man, who is in his twenties, fears for his political career.

Revenge is sweet (Dagbladet)

In 2000 the Bondevik government resigned after receiving a vote of no-confidence in connection with proposals to build gas-fired power stations. Yesterday Petroleum and Energy Minister Einar Steensnæs said no to the construction of two polluting gas-fired power stations in the West Country. Naturkraft’s concession will not be extended unless it decides to build carbon-free power stations. The Minister has thereby closed the book on one of the most controversial public issues in the past five years.

LO stands firm against free-market salaries

Government employees and college educated members of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) have closed ranks to defend the fixed salary scale they share with local government workers. The employers’ proposal to introduce salaries determined by the free market, which would mean the abandonment of the fixed salary scale, has been met with massive opposition. "We are not interested in giving up the fixed salary scale," said Turid Lilleheie, leader of the Norwegian Civil Service Union (NTL), at the union’s national executive committee meeting yesterday.

Almskog paid NOK 78 million for three years’ work (Dagens Næringsliv)

Kværner’s former chief executive, Kjell Almskog, has received a total of NOK 78 million in salary, bonuses and pension payments from the company. This information was kept strictly confidential by the previous Kværner management, but was published after Kjell Inge Røkke won the battle for control of the company. While Mr Almskog was at the helm Kværner’s market value fell by over NOK 7 billion.

Liberal branch chairmen call for Sponheim to resign in two years (Verdens Gang)

A number of Liberal Party branch chairmen have told Lars Sponheim that he only has two years left as party leader – after that, they want somebody else. "I think that there is a widespread feeling within the party that two more years with Lars Sponheim as leader is enough. Four more years is too much," said Gunnhill Andreassen, chairman of the Nordland branch and member of the Liberal Party’s national executive committee.

Viksveen’s compensation claim thrown out (Aftenposten)

The Director General of Public Prosecutions has thrown out the compensation claim made by Stein Viksveen who had previously been charged with espionage. Mr Viksveen’s attorney, Atle Helljesen, says that an appeal against the decision will now be lodged with the Court of Preliminary Examination. He believes that Mr Viksveen is entitled to compensation. No date has yet been fixed for the court hearing.

Worth Noting

• Last year over 10,700 marriages ended in divorce. This is an increase of almost 400 compared with the year before. According to an overview published by Statistics Norway, we must go back to 1993 and 1994 to find as many divorces in the course of one year. The divorce rate fell after 1994, before starting to rise again from 1999 to 2000. (Vårt Land)
• Carl I. Hagen has decided to stay on as chairman of the Progress Party for another two years. Mr Hagen announced his decision when the Progress Party’s parliamentary group celebrated the 25th anniversary of the party taking its current name.
• Over 50,000 Norwegians suffer from eating disorders, and the number is growing. At the same time experts claim that between 50 and 80 per cent of bulimia sufferers can be made symptom-free. The only thing preventing it is a lack of resources.
• Teacher training colleges are not preparing students well enough for the reality they will meet once they leave college. Head teachers and in-school supervisors of students on teaching practice have complained that students lack practical teaching skills. This has emerged in an evaluation report compiled by the Network Norway Council, which is an advisory body under the Education and Research Ministry.
• Bergen wants to host the Winter Olympics. Roar Andersen, administrative manager of the Sports Council in Bergen, believes Bergen and Voss should send a joint application to host the Olympic Winter Games. "It is not unlikely that Norway, as the largest winter sports country, should be awarded an event of this kind," said Mr Andersen. (Verdens Gang)

Today’s comment from Nationen:

It is not nice to make fun of someone when they are down. However, when it comes to the country’s largest opposition party – and up until recently the country’s largest political movement, things are a little different. Celebrities like Erik Fosnes Hansen, Tove Karoline Knutsen and Jens P. Heyerdahl have been brought on board to help pull the party off the rocks. According to the Labour leadership, the celebrities’ main function will be to dream their way to a new political platform. Dreamer-in-chief will be party chairman Thorbjørn Jagland, while prime ministerial candidate Jens Stoltenberg will act as dream interpreter, translating the visions into specific policies. Good grief! Has anyone considered the fact that most people who dream are actually asleep? The new-fangled gizmo has been given the name ‘Dialogue Forum’, and is suspiciously reminiscent of the various kinds of councils and fora which have previously emerged from Labour headquarters. The Labour Party has seen a steady decline in support over roughly 35 years. Does that not give an indication that the need for the basic ideas the party stands for is no longer as great as it once was? Has anyone considered that the support the Labour Party has nevertheless been able to muster until very recently is linked to the fact that it has been seen as the only viable government alternative? Does the party dare to let anyone dream those kind of dreams? We have no desire to write Labour off as a force in Norwegian politics. But if the party is to regain some of its former glory we are fairly sure the last thing it needs is some new dreamers. What it does need are sharp political thinkers and a leadership which has the authority to try and put its policies into practice.