Norway’s conservative coalition government promised it would devote NOK 4 billion to measures aimed at combating the country’s rising unemployment rate, and last week revealed more of their details. The move came after opposition politicians demanded to know whether the measures were still worth the amount pledged.
Finance Minister Siv Jensen from the Progress Party could show that they are. The largest chunk of state funds, NOK 2.5 billion, will be used to finance various maintenance and construction projects that will generate jobs. Another billion kroner (USD 115 million at current exchange rates) is earmarked for funding innovation among entrepreneurs and other potential job creators, while around NOK 500 million has been set aside to create publicly funded jobs specifically for unemployed people who have trouble finding jobs on their own.
All told, the measures amount to NOK 4,048,500,000, slightly more than the NOK 4 billion promised.
newsinenglish.no staff
