– If you get sick in Norway, you should not be punished financially for it. I think that is a very important principle. Støre told news during his half-yearly press conference on Tuesday. The debate about the Norwegian sick pay scheme has flared up again recently. This is not least due to the fact that LO has now opened up the possibility of making changes to the scheme, which they have resisted for decades. Støre says that the government will take part in talks about the sick pay scheme, but bluntly dismisses that there may be talk of cuts in benefits. – No. We haven’t set out to do that at all, says Støre. The Liberal Party has, among other things, advocated cuts in the scheme. – Disturbing This year, the government estimates that it will spend over NOK 62 billion on the sick pay scheme, an increase of several billion NOK since last year alone. At the same time, figures show that the trend in sickness absence is going in the wrong direction. Yesterday Nav was able to say that doctor-reported sickness absence in the years 2019 to 2023 increased from 4.8 to 5.6 per cent. This is a growth of 17 per cent. Today’s sick pay scheme entitles employees to full pay when they are ill. With the exception of the first 16 days, which are covered by the employer, the state pays for the sick leave. Now LO and NHO jointly propose, according to Aftenposten, to investigate a new model. There, the state must step in a few days earlier, for example after 12 days. The compensation is that the companies pay 10 percent of the bill when an employee has been ill for three months. DIALOG: Peggy Hessen Følsvik and Jonas Gahr Støre in the LO premises for the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the LO. Photo: Bror Kvammen Bjerke / news Despite the fact that he does not want to cut the sick pay, Støre agrees that the absenteeism figures must decrease. – If sickness absence increases over time, it is worrying, said the Prime Minister. – What is your signal to LO when they say they may be willing to look at other models for sick pay? – We stand up in those conversations. We have an agreement on inclusive working life. We will participate in those conversations with an open mind to see if there are measures we can come together to contribute to reducing sickness absence. Better times? At the press conference, the prime minister was also concerned with what he himself believes are signs of thicker wallets for most people. – I am happy to say to working people, families, students, pensioners and the whole of Norway that it is now happening: People will be able to afford better this year, said Støre. According to him, both Norges Bank and Statistics Norway say that people will get real wage growth both this year and in the years to come. It is important in an economy that has to invest and look ahead. Price growth and higher interest rates have long been a problem for the government. Now the Prime Minister believes that this will turn around. He refers to price growth on the way down. – Price inflation has decreased for the fifth month in a row, says Støre. The Prime Minister believes this is a sign that interest rates will soon fall. However, most economists believe that interest rates will not change in the short term. The answer may come as early as this week. Norges Bank will have a new interest rate meeting on Thursday. Then we will know whether it goes up, down or stands still. READY: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stør on his way to his own summary press conference. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB Opening the door for SV In news’s Political Quarter on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced that – if there is a red-green election victory – he will ensure the country a government capable of governance, and that in the run-up to the election he will clarify in more detail exactly how it will come about to look like. During his own press conference, he says it like this: – We’ll see when we get into the six months before choosing how we specify it. But I think it is a fairly clear signal that we are open both to a majority constellation and otherwise to take responsibility for what may come. After the general election in 2021, the latter chose to abandon the so-called “probes” ahead of possible government negotiations. Thus they did not get to rule the country together with Støre and co. They then believed that the distance between them, the Labor Party and the Center Party was too great. Since then, the Center Party has repeatedly denied that they want to have SV in government. Turbulence The government has had enough to deal with in the last six months. Both domestically and abroad. Two ministers have had to resign. Sandra Borch (Sp) was minister for research and higher education. As early as January, she had to leave the government as a result of textual similarities in her master’s thesis. The same fate later suffered the Minister of Health and Welfare Ingvild Kjerkol (Ap). Abroad, the prime minister and the government have had to brace themselves on several fronts. The war in Gaza is still raging in the Middle East. Earlier this spring, the government, along with several other countries, chose to recognize Palestine as a state. HAND COUNTING: Støre emphasizes Norway’s support for Ukraine during a press conference on Tuesday. Photo: William Jobling / news At the same time, the war in Ukraine continues. This conflict also affects the government. The Storting has unanimously adopted the long-term plan for the Armed Forces. Until 2036, Norway will spend NOK 1,635 billion on various defense purposes – an increase of NOK 611 billion in the twelve-year period. – Ukraine’s fight is a historic fight for survival, but also a fight for Europe’s future, says Støre during the press conference. Published 18.06.2024, at 10.52 Updated 18.06.2024, at 13.38
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