The economic crime unit of the Norwegian police (Økokrim) has closed its cases against two former government ministers. Anette Trettebergstuen of the Labour Party and Ola Borten Moe of the Center Party had both resigned their posts amid a series of political scandals last year.
Trettebergstuen resigned her post as minister of culture over alleged conflicts of interest involving the appointments of friends to paid state board positions. Økokrim had launched an investigation into whether the appointments were punishable under law, but determined that the legal precedent for such dereliction of duty was too high to pursue the case in court.
Moe resigned as government minister in charge of higher education just a month later, after business news service E24 revealed that he’d bought shares in state-owned companies in another apparent conflict of interest. Økokrim took up the case to see whether Moe also had violated insider trading laws, but has since determined he did not and dropped the case. Moe told E24 that he was relieved and “glad that the case over.”
Both Trettebergstuen and Moe remain Members of Parliament until their current elected terms end next year. Moe has already stated that he will not seek re-election in the 2025 national electin.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
