The UiB professor today sent a letter to the control and constitution committee in the Storting. – If there has been an error in public administration, it can be punishable. The control and constitutional committee must take that seriously, he says to news. Holmøyvik refers to the Criminal Code sections 171 and 172 on service errors. – I do not have an opinion on whether it is punishable. It may not be a criminal offence, but you cannot treat a minister or a politician differently from public servants, he says. Law professor Eirik Holmøyvik at the University of Bergen. Photo: Kim E. Andreassen / UiB – We have just received the letter. Holmøyvik raises important questions. The committee takes this seriously, says leader Peter Frølich (H) in the control and constitution committee to news. He says the committee will need time to discuss the letter from Holmøyvik. Trettebergstuen has no opportunity to comment on the matter to news. In the Labor Party, parliamentary leader Rigmor Aasrud says the following: – This type of inquiry will be dealt with in the control committee in an ordinary way, she says to news. – The committee’s task Trettebergstuen resigned as minister after several cases of disqualification in the appointment of friends to positions of power in cultural life. – Then the question is if all other people had made a mistake of this type, what reaction would that have led to then? Would it be investigated? asks the law professor. – It is about people having confidence in the political authorities, and that there is no special treatment of politicians because they are politicians. – Since you are sending this to the committee, are you yourself concerned that Trettebergstuen will not be succeeded in line with others? – Not without further ado. But it is the committee’s task to assess what kind of reaction they should use towards a minister who has made a mistake, says Holmøyvik. – Must raise questions Since Trettebergstuen has already resigned as a minister, the Storting will not be able to use other reactions against her such as no confidence, points out Holmøyvik. – The tools and sanctions are out of the picture. Then it is about the only thing the committee can consider is punishment. And possibly further follow-up. Now they have to raise the issue and decide on it. Just like when everyone else makes mistakes. In the letter, Holmøyvik writes about how the committee can proceed. – The rules for proceeding are not entirely clear, because you have the usual power to prosecute and then you have the Storting, which has prosecution competence in this type of case. If there are mistakes the minister makes as a minister, the impeachment court is the correct body, but that is hardly the case in this case when she makes a mistake as head of ministry. Then the rules require that she is treated equally with public employees, he says.
ttn-69
Law professor believes the Storting must consider punishment – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
