On Thursday, it was announced that Lars Christian Aamodt will become temporary head of NSM, and will start the job early in the new year. He has previously held many leading positions in the Armed Forces. Now he will work to restore trust in NSM. It happens after former director Sofie Nystrøm went on the day when NSM’s illegal loan of NOK 200 million became known on 8 December. Defended and signed illegal loans The government has set up a committee to investigate NSM’s illegal loan agreements. According to Aamodt, it will be an important task for him to assist the committee. But retired director Nystrøm was not alone in handling the loan agreements, recently declassified documents from the government show. In the management group of NSM, there are still members who have defended and signed the illegal loan agreements. Department director Åshild Egerdal in NSM signed an extension of the loan agreement with the property company Norwegian Property last autumn. There, the loan was expanded from NOK 100 to 200 million. This is stated in a letter from the Ministry of Justice. Egerdal had received signature authorization from departed NSM director Nystrøm. news has been in contact with Egerdal. She does not want to comment on the matter. CONTROVERSIAL LEASE AGREEMENT: NSM’s lease agreement with Norwegian Property at Fornebu, which included a loan of NOK 200 million from the landlord, made NSM director Sofie Nystrøm angry. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB Got questions about the loan But Egerdal is not the only one in the management group who has been involved in the loan agreements. The Ministry of Justice sent three questions to NSM about the loan agreements before the scandal became public knowledge. In the reply letter to the ministry at the end of November, NSM’s assistant director Helge Rager Furuseth defended the illegal borrowing. Furuseth pointed out, among other things: “this is not a new way of financing investments”. He also writes: “Given our experiences with similar advance schemes (…) we considered this to be an appropriate solution also at Fornebu”. Let the management group sit Nevertheless, the incoming NSM chief warns that no changes will be made to the management group until the committee that will investigate NSM has submitted its report. The report must be delivered on 1 March next year. – Will it be difficult for those who have been involved in the loans to hold leading positions in NSM? – I don’t want to say anything about that. A competent committee has been set up, so their conclusion and assessment will form the basis for what will be the way forward. – So you want to continue working with the management team of departed director Sofie Nystrøm? – Yes, I want to start with the existing management team and deliver on the social mission. But I’m going to wait and see what they say about this matter. news has also asked whether it is natural to continue working with Egerdal and Furuseth, and whether NSM can have confidence in the two in the management: – I don’t know the people I will lead, I have to get to know them, I have to understand and learn. And then we will focus on the social mission as the first thing we do.
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New NSM chief will continue to work with managers involved in illegal loans – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
