Norway called to explain import ban (Dagsavisen)

If Agriculture Minister Bjarne Haakon Hanssen decides not to extend Norway’s import ban when the first 14-day period expires, he will have the weight of expert opinion behind him. The Norwegian Animal Health Authority says that the import ban should be removed if there is no further spread of foot-and-mouth disease during this coming week. "If the disease does not spread, there is every reason to modify the general import ban," says Gunnar Hagen of the Norwegian Animal Health Authority. Norwegian authorities have been called to a meeting with the European Commission today to explain why Norway has implemented stricter measures than the EU to protect itself against foot-and-mouth disease.

Oil negotiations sunk by disagreement within Labour Party (Dagbladet)

If Jens Stoltenberg and the Labour Party leadership had had their way, the party would have agreed to sell off 25 per cent of the State’s Direct Financial Interest (SDFI) in Norway’s oil and gas reserves, in line with the demands of the Conservatives, Liberals and Christian Democrats. But strong pressure from a powerful minority within the party, which wants the Government to sell off no more than 20 per cent of the SDFI to Statoil, Norsk Hydro and other companies, yesterday forced the Government and the party leadership to break off negotiations in the Storting.

Norsk Hydro loses billions (Aftenposten)

The breakdown of negotiations over the sale of the State’s Direct Financial Interest (SDFI) in Norway’s oil and gas reserves could prevent Norsk Hydro becoming as big an oil and gas producer as Statoil. When the negotiations were broken off Norsk Hydro and the other companies looked set to buy 8.5 per cent, while Statoil would have bought 15 per cent. The SDFI owns 40 per cent of all oil and gas reserves in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, with a gross worth of NOK 660 billion. One per cent of the SDFI is NOK 6.6 billion. Norsk Hydro therefore lost the opportunity to purchase shares in oil and gas fields worth NOK 23 billion.

"A fresh alternative" (Nationen)

A good, fresh alternative to the Progress Party, is how Vidar Kleppe describes his new political baby, the Southern Counties List. "The list weakens the Progress Party’s chances of bringing its policies into the Storting. Its most important function is to secure renewed confidence in Vidar Kleppe," says Progress Party chairman Carl I. Hagen. He is concerned that the "village list" could lead to the Progress Party not winning a seat in Vest-Agder county at this autumn’s general election.

Seller is responsible for valuer’s mistakes (Dagsavisen)

If you are selling your house you trust that the property valuer does his job and finds any hidden faults and omissions in the property. However, in a recent judgment the Supreme Court has found that the seller alone is responsible for any future claims on the part of a purchaser. The decision creates a precedence in matters of dispute regarding property sales. "Completely in line with the legislation," says Arne Støbakk, chief executive of the Norwegian Property Valuers’ Association. He recommends sellers take out property transfer insurance.

Former Conservative Party leader appointed new head of NRK (Klassekampen)

John Gordon Bernander is to take over from Einar Førde as head of NRK, the license-fee funded national broadcasting company, on 15 July. The former Conservative Party vice president takes over a company which this year will cut 300 jobs and slash NOK 159 million off its budget. The newly appointed head of NRK says that he approaches the job with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. NRK has had five chief executives since 1948 – all of them closely linked to the Labour Party.

Exciting choice (Dagsavisen)

"Mr Bernander is an exciting choice, but it is a slight disadvantage that NRK’s editor-in-chief does not have a journalistic background. But that is something he can learn. We now want to invite him to spend a week in the newsroom," says Eva Stabell, union representative for NRK’s journalists.

Students to get same grant regardless of country (Aftenposten)

The cost of living in the country in which you study will no longer affect the grant you receive if Education minister Trond Giske has his way. Mr Giske has proposed that Norwegian students studying abroad should receive the same amount of money in grants from the State Educational Loan Fund as students studying in Norway. If Mr Giske’s proposal gains the support of a majority in the Storting all students in Norway or abroad will receive NOK 80,000 in annual financial aid. Students studying in only two countries – Japan and Switzerland – will be worse off than today.

Worth Noting

• Newly appointed chief executive of NRK John G. Bernander will receive almost twice the salary of his predecessor Einar Førde. But Mr Bernander himself takes a drop in salary. (Dagsavisen)
• The stock market launch of shares in Statoil may be postponed until the autumn following the Labour Party’s decision yesterday to break off of negotiations with the Conservatives, Liberals and Christian Democrats over the country’s oil policy. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• The number of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo who are being forcibly repatriated is so large that it far exceeds the budget allocated. The police have now decided to charter their own plane in order to cut costs. (Dagsavisen)
• Union representatives from Kværner and Aker Maritime yesterday presented their views on the proposed merger between the two companies to the leaders of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO). The LO leadership has refused to take sides in this sensitive conflict. (Dagens Næringsliv)

Today’s comment from Dagbladet, Dagsavisen and Vårt Land

NRK’s new board of directors succeeded where its predecessor failed. Yesterday NRK finally got a new chief executive, and we believe John G. Bernander has every chance of making a success of the job. He has many of the qualities needed to guide the national broadcasting company through the difficult restructuring process it faces. That the appointment came as a surprise may prove to be a strategic advantage, given that the speculators have not been given the chance to prejudge Mr Bernander. In addition, Mr Bernander has charisma and management experience from the business world, which he will need in a situation where NRK must downsize and trim its organizational structure – without it having a negative effect on employee morale. It is also worth noting that NRK’s board has, at the first opportunity, broken with the tradition of selecting the organization’s chief executive from the ranks of the Labour Party. We think that the board’s decision is wise and will benefit NRK.