Norway’s national film institute NFI (Norsk Film Institute) has suddenly found itself under examination by the State Auditor General’s office (Riksrevisjonen). The auditors want to examine how the film institute has followed up Parliament’s expectations for it.
The head of management control for the auditor general, Therese Johnsen, confirmed to Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) that an examination was planned. A preliminary exam was getting underway, with a decision due in September whether a full-scale audit will follow.
The film institute receives around NOK 600 million a year in public funding through the Ministry of Culture. The money is used to promote Norwegian film and assist foreign film producers who want to film in Norway.
Sindre Guldvog, director of NFI, told news bureau NTB that he doesn’t know why the state auditors want to examine NFI or what actual operations will be under probe. “We have nothing to hide, so I don’t have any special fears about this,” Guldvog told NTB. Professor Petter Gottschalk at the Norwegian business school BI told NRK that state auditor probes are usually spurred by tips from the public, media stories or their own interest.
newsinenglish.no staff
