– I think the elected representatives were left on the sidelines too much during the pandemic. It is an obligation for the elected representatives to go through and be sure that we have learned what we are supposed to learn, says SV’s Audun Lysbakken. Together with Grunde Almeland from the Liberal Party, he today took the initiative that the Storting’s control committee must go deeply into the matter. It should happen when the government is ready with its comprehensive review of the authorities’ corona handling, believe the two party leaders. The elected representatives’ investigation should take the form of a control case, whether the Liberals and SV get what they want. Then there will probably also be an open hearing at the Storting. INVESTIGATION: SV’s Audun Lysbakken (left) and Venstre’s Grunde Almeland want to have a control case about the handling of the pandemic. Photo: Kristian Skårdalsmo / news – We want a good discussion about the actual extent to which politicians should be able to intervene in people’s everyday lives, says Almeland to news. The two believe that it must be a clear task for the Storting to control how the pandemic was handled and lead a political debate about the experiences. – On the sidelines The pandemic hit Norway with full force in March 2020, and on March 12 the country was largely shut down. The handling of the corona outbreak has been scrutinized by a separate commission. It has delivered two public reports (NOU). In addition, an independent committee has submitted a report on the authorities’ overall handling. The Ministry of Justice is now working on “an overall review of the authorities’ handling of the corona pandemic.” It is this last document, from the government, that SV and Venstre want sent to the control and constitutional committee. FOLKETOMT: SV and Venstre want to have a discussion about whether the Storting was sufficiently involved when the country was shut down during the pandemic. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB Almeland and Lysbakken took the initiative at a meeting of the committee today for a letter to be sent to the Ministry of Justice, with a request to be sent the summary when it is ready. – The pandemic is one of the most dramatic things that has hit people in Norway in modern times. It would then be strange if the Storting did not also go through how it was handled by the authorities in Norway, says Lysbakken. He points out that “very invasive measures” were introduced, such as isolation, school closures and rules on how many people you could have as visitors. – It is not certain that the Storting will say anything about what is right or wrong, but it is necessary to discuss it, he says. Committee leader Peter Frølich from the Conservative Party does not reject an investigation in the Control and Constitution Committee. – When it comes to the Storting, the control committee is a natural committee, yes, he says. COMMITTEE CHAIR: Peter Frølich from the Conservative Party. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB Extended mandate The pandemic was handled by Erna Solberg’s (H) government from spring 2020 to autumn 2021. It looked bright when Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) took over power in autumn 2021. But the virus made an unpleasant “comeback” and therefore also became a big issue for the Ap/Sp government until February 2022. As recently as yesterday, the majority in the Storting made sure to extend the government’s ability to implement interventional measures, without going through the Storting. 111 voted for, while 55 voted against. Both the Left and SV opposed the proposal, which received support from the Center Party, the Labor Party and the Conservative Party. Both Liberals and SV point out that the case revealed major political disagreement about the usefulness of parliamentary control of infection control measures. This is precisely why the Storting must evaluate its own role and the distribution of power between the health authorities, the government and the elected representatives during the pandemic, the two parties believe. – That debate came a little too soon for many people. It was a debate that came without a warning and without a broad discussion about what consequences this actually had, says Almeland. He refers to a need to find out to what extent the Storting will be involved in such decisions. Another question is what opportunities the government should have to bypass the Storting. It is still unclear what form the review from the Ministry of Justice will take. – A notification to the Storting was the Solberg government’s plan and wish. We are a little surprised that Støre has apparently moved away from this. The Conservative Party is therefore positive about a notification to the Storting, says Frølich from the Conservative Party. When a control case can be carried out depends on when the government is ready with its review. But a control case should be opened and carried out before the Storting has to deal with the announced overall review of the infection control act itself, think the Liberals and SV.
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SV and Venstre will have a control case about the pandemic at the Storting – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
