– I am not surprised by that. PST determines that Arendalsuka is an important gathering point and thus also a natural point of interest for intelligence. This is according to the head of the main program committee for the political festival, Harald Stanghelle. He is also a journalist and former editor at Aftenposten. Arendalsuka is Norway’s largest gathering of business and top Norwegian politicians. Since 2012, it has been organized in Arendal in the third week of August. Today it became known that PST believes that Russian intelligence officers were present. Harald Stanghelle believes it is not surprising that Russian intelligence officers were at Arendalsuka. May have said they were diplomats Adviser in PST, Dag Røhjell tells news that the intelligence officers may have said they were Russian diplomats, business leaders or consultants. – Arendal Week is an important gathering point for Norwegian politics and business. It is therefore a natural point of interest for Russia, says Røhjell. According to Røhjell, the aim was probably to gather information, survey and perhaps establish relationships with certain people. Dag Røhjell and Inger Haugland in PST during Friday’s press briefing. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB Good cooperation with PST The mayor of Arendal, Robert Cornels Nordli (Ap), is also aware of the problem that something like this could happen. He is also the leader of the Arendalsuka Council. – It is a national event that attracts many people. We have close and good cooperation both with the police and PST in the run-up to the event. He believes the security around Arendalsuka is very good. Arendal’s mayor Robert Cornels Nordli (Ap) believes the security around Arendalsuka is good and is looking forward to this year’s event. Photo: Vetle Hjortland / news Problematic During the Arendal Week last year, there were 150,000 participants and almost 1,000 different organizers in the center of Arendal. Harald Stanghelle thinks it would be foolish to guarantee that this cannot happen again during the next Arendal week. Arendalsuka is a large event where politicians and actors from all over the country participate. Photo: Svein Sundsdal – As important as Arendalsuka is, it is not unusual that we are also visited by intelligence officers from various nations, says Stanghelle. How problematic is it that Russian intelligence is present? – Russian intelligence is problematic. But it is no more problematic that they move in the open space during Arendal Week than that they move in the open space in Trondheim or Oslo, says Stanghelle.
ttn-69
– Not shocking – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
