– I think Olavsvern would top the list if you were to rank what you most regret having sold, says member of the foreign affairs and defense committee in the Storting, Nils-Ole Foshaug (Ap). – We lost an enormous infrastructure and resource in that. Labor Party politician Nils-Ole Foshaug is clear that the closure of Olavsvern was a mistake. His own party voted for the sale in the Storting in 2009. Photo: Pål Hansen / news Last week, two of Norway’s former defense chiefs, Harald Sunde and Haakon Bruun-Hansen, advocated that the Norwegian Armed Forces should once again use the naval base. – By reusing the base, we get as much as possible back for the money that has been invested there over the years, says Bruun-Hansen. The Olavsvern naval base in Ramfjorden in Tromsø was opened in 1968, and cost around NOK 4 billion to build. The facility is 25,000 square meters and contains, among other things, a dry dock. NATO paid most of the investments. In 2009, however, the base was closed, and four years later it was sold to private players for NOK 38 million. Today, WilNor Governmental Services is the main owner and manages the base. According to the company, there is still great interest from several NATO countries in using the base. Here is the Dutch naval infantry on exercise earlier this year. Photo: WilNor Strategically important area Harald Sunde believes that Sweden and Finland’s application for NATO membership is also an argument for reopening the base. The shortest route for NATO reinforcements going to Finland is via Norway. – This is precisely why we need coastal infrastructure that can receive and forward equipment, capacities, departments and supplies into that area, he says. Harald Sunde is head of the total preparedness commission and active in the Center Party, but is clear that in this case he is speaking out as a former defense chief. Photo: William Jobling / news Harald Sunde is head of the total preparedness commission and active in the Center Party, but is clear that in this case he is speaking out as a former defense chief. Photo: William Jobling / news Sunde points out that the naval base is in the middle of a strategically important area. – Olavsvern is also a very special facility, because it has a large capacity secured inside the mountain. It has access both by sea and land, says Sunde. – It is possible to make mistakes, but now we have a completely different security situation in Europe. Now we have to see what we have and how we can build up our defense again. – Naive and wrong decision The Conservative Party and FRP fought together against Olavsvern being closed down in 2009. Head of the Storting’s justice committee, Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp), is clear that the closure was a naive and wrong decision. – The defense is a skeleton compared to what we had during the Cold War. It will take time to rebuild, he says. – And then you must actually be able to go back on what have been unwise decisions, in order to put in place old capacities that we unfortunately got rid of in a naive time. Amundsen points out that it is the Storting’s overall responsibility to ensure that Norway has a good defence, and believes that it is natural that the base be restored in view of the current security policy situation. – And if that initiative is not taken from the defense leadership or the Ministry of Defence, then I think it is natural that the Storting itself takes it up, he says. Chairman of the Storting’s justice committee, Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp), believes it was a mistake to close down Olavsvern. Photo: Dan Henrik Klausen Head of the Storting’s justice committee, Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp), believes it was a mistake to close Olavsvern. Photo: Dan Henrik Klausen – No need for Olavsvern According to today’s defense chief, there are no immediate plans to reopen the facility. – Right now I have no need for Olavsvern. The defense is building on Ramsund, In addition, we have an agreement with Grøtsund harbor (north of Tromsø) which covers our needs, Eirik Kristoffersen told news in November. Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen says that he has no use for Olavsvern right now. Photo: Trygve Grønning / news Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen says that he has no use for Olavsvern right now. Photo: Trygve Grønning / news In the summer, however, the chief of defense will issue professional military advice to the politicians, and then all military activity will be reassessed. There, Frp’s leader, Sylvi Listhaug, expects Olavsvern to be included in the assessment. The same applies to the government’s long-term plan for the Armed Forces. – We expect a thorough assessment of Olavsvern and any possible use of it in the future, then we can conclude when we see the total, she says. – But I definitely think that we should listen to our former chiefs of defense and the assessments they make. Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram (Sp) has not found an opportunity to comment on the matter at the present time.
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Storting politicians believe the closure of Olavsvern was a mistake – news Troms and Finnmark
