Begging on streets OK, not sleeping

Police were voicing approval on Thursday after city politicians in Oslo, quarreling over how to deal with thousands of migrant poor on the streets of the capital, banned all outdoor sleeping on public property in populated areas. Begging continues to be unrestricted, at least for now. The politicians had seemed poised to restrict begging as [...]

Farmers settle for a 10.5% raise

The two major lobbying groups representing Norwegian farmers have agreed to accept a new state-subsidized compensation package that’s expected to yield average pay hikes for farmers of 10.5 percent through direct subsidy and protectionism. The farmers had demanded more than twice that, so said they were only somewhat satisfied. The raise amounts to around NOK [...]

China brought into the Arctic cold

UPDATED: Months of diplomatic intrigue ended on Wednesday when Arktisk Råd (the Arctic Council) decided to grant observer status to China and several other countries including Japan and India. Norway, one of eight members of the council, had supported all the observer status applications, which may now improve its long-frozen relations with China. “We’re glad [...]

Palace grounds scrape up debate

A major rehabilitation of the gravel grounds around Norway’s Royal Palace is due to start just after the 17th of May holiday, but a vocal group of civic boosters in Oslo is trying to block the project. They claim pending removal of the loose gravel around the palace will violate cultural heritage laws, and they [...]

Students slow to finish degrees

Only 35- to 40 percent of Norwegian college and university students finish their degree programs within what’s considered the normal time, according to a report from the Ministry of Education and Research. Critics say the last two governments have failed to push through promised measures to speed up students’ progress. The percentage of students in Norway [...]

New museum seeks new funding

As Oslo’s new Astrup Fearnley Museum launched its first new exhibit since it re-opened in a new landmark location on the waterfront last year, its leaders were hoping for new funding from the state. For the first time since the museum opened 20 years ago, it’s applied for NOK 7 million in state support because [...]

Farmers try to win more support

UPDATED: Norwegian farmers’ organizations said they were “disappointed and surprised” when the left-center government coalition, which includes the country’s most farmer-friendly party, only offered them half of the taxpayer support they’d demanded. They still stand to get average pay raises of around 8.5 percent, though, and decided over the weekend to enter into negotiations with [...]

Townships reject more refugees

Many local municipalities in Norway are refusing to accept more refugees, and struggling with what they say are the “skyrocketing” costs of integration. Only one in five has taken in as many refugees as the state government wished. Many of Norway’s municipalities (kommuner) believe that the government is trying to settle too many refugees, according [...]

Controversial royal visit to weapons producer proceeded as planned

Crown Prince Haakon went ahead with his planned visit to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas this week amidst criticism back home in Norway. The visit had been criticized because of Lockheed Martin’s history of making cluster bombs and because it was seen as a “PR coup” for the huge defense contractor. The Royal [...]

Finance minister ‘on steady course’

Norway’s left-center government coalition aims to keep the country’s strong economy on what Finance Minister Sigbjørn Johnsen called “a steady course” when he released the government’s revised state budget on Tuesday. Opposition politicians claim he’s spreading Norway’s wealth much too thinly. “Careful economic management is critical to secure good development in the Norwegian economy,” Johnsen [...]

Norges Bank won’t follow Europeans

The European Central Bank cut its already-low key interest rate last week but Norway’s own central bank didn’t follow along. The board of Norges Bank decided on Wednesday to keep its key lending rate unchanged at 1.5 percent. “Overall developments in the Norwegian economy have been broadly in line with expectations,” Jan F Qvigstad, deputy [...]

Cities reject state government’s plan to help and control beggars

City governments in Oslo, Bergen, Tromsø and Bodø are among those turning down new funding offered by the left-center state government to both accommodate and control Norway’s growing problems posed by migrant beggars. The cities claim the state’s plan is unworkable and won’t help. Justice Minister Grete Faremo of the Labour Party finally unveiled how [...]

NATO boss on whirlwind visit

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and members of the North Atlantic Council were making the rounds of Norwegian military installations, Arctic research centers, government ministers’ offices and the Royal Palace this week, on an official visit that included Liberation- and Veterans’ Day ceremonies on Wednesday. Climate change and military preparedness were on the agenda. [...]

New labour boss makes history

The election of Gerd Kristiansen as the new boss of Norway’s largest trade union federation LO means that the country’s two most powerful positions in the business and labour sectors are now held by women. Given poll results leading into the next national elections, Norway’s next prime minister, finance minister and foreign minister may be [...]

‘Russ’ keen to move up exams

Norway’s non-socialist political parties want to move up the date of high school students’ final year exams to before the Constitution Day holiday on the 17th of May. They think it makes much more sense for the graduating students called ‘russ‘ to celebrate and party after their exams, instead of before them. The suggestion to move the final exams to [...]

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