The case in summary Sofie Nystrøm, director of the National Insurance Agency (NSM), has resigned due to an illegal loan agreement of NOK 200 million. The loan is a breach of current laws and regulations, including key points in the budget and financial regulations. Minister of Justice and Emergency Preparedness Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) confirms that serious mistakes have been made and that the government is now working with the Ministry of Defense to survey the matter. Law professor Mads Andenæs at the University of Oslo expresses shock at the case and believes it is a matter for Økokrim. The loan was taken out in connection with NSM’s move to new premises in Fornebu, with unfavorable terms such as an interest rate of 10 per cent. The government has initiated a review of the loan agreement and the circumstances surrounding it, and has instructed NSM to stop all payments to the loan agreement. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – This is a very, very serious matter, says Frp’s fiscal policy spokesperson Hans Andreas Limi to news. He believes that Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl must report to the Storting on the loan case to the National Security Agency – and immediately. Have the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness and Minister of Justice Mehl (Sp) known about the NOK 200 million loan? ILLEGAL LOAN: Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl about NSM’s illegal loan. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB NSM borrowed money from the property company Norwegian Property, controlled by John Fredriksen. The illegal loan was entered into in connection with a move to premises at Fornebu owned by Norwegian Property. The money has financed, among other things, renovations, new furniture, PCs and an IT system. Public enterprises are not allowed to take out loans in the private market. Only the Storting can grant money to state enterprises such as NSM. The loan constitutes a breach of current laws and regulations, including section 75 of the Constitution. WENT ON THE DAY: Top CEO of NSM Sofie Nystrøm went on the day Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news The top boss of NSM Sofie Nystrøm resigned before the weekend when the news of the illegal loan became known. Nystrøm claims that the Department of Justice was informed about the loan, and that such loans have been common for a long time. Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl disputes this, and believes that the ministry has not been informed about the loan. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence, to which NSM was subject until 2019, have launched an external investigation into the loan case to NSM. Must be clarified quickly – We register that there are two different versions of what happened, says Limi: – We have to know which version is correct and who knew about this loan in the agreement that was entered into. The government has asked the Storting to approve that the 200 million be taken from the oil fund to repay the loan. – It is urgent because the matter is so serious and because entering into this loan is a breach of the Constitution, and it is also about the fact that the government has now proposed to allocate this money in this year’s budget, says Limi. MUST GET ANSWERS: FRP’s fiscal policy spokesman Hans Andreas Limi wants the Minister of Justice to explain himself in the Storting as soon as possible about the loan case Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news – The case is crazy and spectacular, this is just the way you see it in movies, says the Right’s justice policy spokesperson Sveinung Stensland. Stensland emphasizes that NSM has bypassed all budget principles. – They have stretched the rope too far, settled down, taken out an illegal loan of NOK 200 million that has not been approved by the ministry or the Storting. Uncertain outcome There are many questions the Storting must get answers to, but he – The follow-up to the instructions has been weak. Then it is the ministry that is responsible for following this up, and the Storting has responsibility for following this up further, says Stensland. Constitutional responsibility always rests with the minister. Nevertheless, the Conservative Party or FRP will not say anything about what the outcome may be for the Minister of Justice. ELLEVIL: The right-wing Sveinung Stensland believes the case is 1ellev Photo: Siri Vålberg Saugstad / news – It is too early to say how big a role the ministry has played, whether it is “neglect” or whether someone has deliberately withheld information or whether there has been a department head who does not know Norwegian law well enough, says Stensland.
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– Enger Mehl must be urgently summoned to the Storting – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
