Member of Parliament Hadia Tajik, a former government minister who now ranks as deputy leader of the Labour Party, managed to avoid a fine after confessing to riding Oslo’s metro without having bought a ticket.
“It’s unfortunately correct that I hadn’t bought a ticket when I took T-banen (Oslo’s metro line) from Majorstuen to the Parliament after taking part in the (radio talk show) Politisk kvarter on (state broadcaster) NRK this morning,” Tajik told newspaper VG on Wednesday, just before Norway’s long Ascension Day holiday weekend began.
“I forgot it, pure and simple, and I’m sorry about that,” Tajik said. She claimed that she realized her mistake when she arrived at the metro station under the Parliament (Stortinget), and turned herself in to ticket monitors.
They have the power to issue fines of as much as NOK 1,150 (USD 137) or NOK 950 if the errant passenger buys a ticket on the spot. Tajik apparently got credit for turning herself in, because VG reported that she wasn’t fined.
newsinenglish.no staff
