NORWAY SPECIAL REPORT: Norway PM fined for violating coronavirus restrictions
- The head of government was fined 20,000 Norwegian kroner, or about $2,300
OSLO, APR 10: Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg received
a hefty fine on Friday for breaking the country’s virus curbs by organizing a
family birthday dinner that she ended up not attending, police said.
Police concluded that the dinner organized in part by
Solberg had exceeded the number of guests allowed at private functions.
For the infraction, the head of government was fined 20,000
Norwegian kroner (about $2,300).
“Even if the law is equal for everyone, everyone is not
equal,” Commissioner Ole Saeverud told a press conference.
“Solberg is the country’s foremost elected official and has,
on a number of occasions, been the leading figure in the government’s decisions
on measures to counter the pandemics,” Saeverud added.
“It is therefore considered justified to give a sanction to
maintain public confidence in the health rules,” he argued.
Public broadcaster NRK revealed in mid-March that Solberg
celebrated her 60th birthday with her family at a ski resort under conditions
that seemed to violate health guidelines.
On 25 February, 13 members of her family had dined at a
restaurant in the town of Geilo, although rules limited the number of
participants in a private event in a public space to 10.
Solberg herself had not attended the dinner as she needed to
go to the hospital to deal with eye issues, but police still held her
responsible for organizing the event.
After the event came to light, Solberg made a public apology
and said she was prepared to pay potential fines.
On Friday, the prime minister reiterated her apology and
said she wouldn’t appeal the decision.
“We should not have broken the rules and I want to apologize
again,” she told broadcaster TV2.
The affair, which has made the rounds on social networks,
has tarnished the image of the leader – who has generally been praised for the
government’s handling of the health crisis – ahead of the parliamentary
elections on 13 September.
Commenting for news website ABC Nyheter, journalist David
Stenerud called it “a good day for Norwegian rule of law.”
“It’s remarkable that our own Prime Minister was investigated for breaking the rules she imposed on us. And even more incredible that she is now convicted,” Astrid Meland, editorial writer for newspaper Verdens Gang, wrote.
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