Earlier this week, it was clear that SV deputy leader Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes received a tax hit of NOK 477,000. Now he is commenting on the tax shock for the first time. Fylkesnes rented out housing at the same time as he got free commuter housing in Oslo, at the taxpayers’ expense. He himself says he has followed the rules to the letter. – The Tax Agency itself also admits that. I am also left with an increased tax, the basis of which is very strange. After all, I have followed the rules in the Tax Agency, they also reversed their rules this year and believe that this should have retroactive effect. The tax authority has taken decisions on changes to employer’s contribution and tax in a total of 40 cases. The Norwegian Tax Agency has imposed extra tax on three representatives from the SV for more than NOK 2 million in increased income for the benefit of free commuter housing in Oslo. Fylkesnes describes it as a maddeningly annoying case and says that the last word has not been said. – There are a lot of questions in the tax case that I have not received an answer to from the Tax Agency. How can they just introduce a new rule this year and think it should apply retroactively? What authority do they have for that? They have not been able to answer such type of questions. Knag Fylkesnes believes that you must get proper answers when dealing with the public sector. – For my part, I am of course not going to give up until I get proper answers. Rented out flats Last autumn, Fylkesnes talked about how he had been given free commuter accommodation in Oslo, despite the fact that he already owned a flat in the city. Fylkesnes rented out both the apartment in Oslo and another apartment in Tromsø. – He has received a clear message that all rules have been followed, he has also acted in line with the intention of the residential commuter rule, as he has housing and expenses in Tromsø, said SV leader Audun Lysbakken during a debate in September. Skjalg Fjellheim, political editor at Nordlys, does not believe that Knag Fylkesnes’ reaction to the tax shock will lead him to the top of SV. Photo: Nordlys Opposite strategy Political editor in the newspaper Nordlys, Skjalg Fjellheim, believes that the tax shock is weakening Knag Fylkesnes in his own party. – Although he obviously believes that he has not done very much wrong. Fjellheim believes experience shows that it pays for politicians to lie flat in this type of matter. – Now Knag Fylkesnes chooses the opposite strategy, by fighting against the Tax Agency’s conclusion. In any case, I am quite sure that it will not lead him to the top of SV, as Audun Lysbakken’s successor.
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