At the end of June, Anette Trettebergstuen (Ap) had to resign as minister after several cases of disqualification in the appointment of friends to positions of power in cultural life. The Control and Constitution Committee is responsible for following up the case in the Storting. The question the committee is now considering is how they should deal with a letter from law professor Eirik Holmøyvik, in which he argues that Trettebergstuen can be held criminally liable after she appointed two close friends and proposed a third to various paid positions. Trettebergstuen also suggested that a state secretary enter the name of a close friend of hers in the election of a board member for the Norwegian Folk Museum, a process in which she herself knew she was incompetent. – I do not have an opinion on whether it is punishable. It may not be punishable, but you cannot treat a minister or a politician differently from public servants, Holmøyvik told news when the letter was sent. The committee has now asked the Storting’s constitutional department for an investigation into alternatives for further handling of the letter. The reason is, among other things, that there is little case law in the area. The control committee has asked the Storting’s lawyers for advice in the Trettebergstuen case, says Venstres Grunde Almeland. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB – I can confirm that we have sent a letter to the constitutional department at the Storting. They must give us advice on the obligations we have, according to the Storting’s rules of procedure, says committee member Grunde Almeland (V) to news. The Storting’s rules of procedure state, among other things, that if the control committee “finds that circumstances in an external inquiry regarding a breach of constitutional duties cannot be prosecuted by impeachment, the inquiry shall be forwarded to the appropriate prosecuting authority”. The exception is if the case “obviously cannot lead to liability”. This is among the questions the constitutional department is now being asked to consider. – We also want to have an investigation of the various choices for treatment method. There may be prosecution at the impeachment court, civil prosecution, or dropping the case. Although the Storting has taken a break from meetings for the summer, the committee has – according to what news is informed – set up several possible dates for digital meetings in the coming weeks. Anette Trettebergstuen has not responded to news’s inquiries about the matter. Can be sent to the accountability commission If the committee concludes with impeachment against Trettebergstuen, the first step may be to send the case to the Storting’s accountability commission. It has five members, and its task is to investigate whether there are grounds for bringing impeachment proceedings. If the commission were to have the case forwarded, Trettebergstuen would, among other things, be entitled to a publicly appointed defender. Committee member Carl I. Hagen from the Progress Party says he is awaiting the answer from the Storting’s lawyers. Photo: Alexander Nordby – It is too early to draw conclusions. I myself have asked the investigation department to check whether there have been criminal cases for breach of trust. What is practice, says Hagen. He has little faith that it will be relevant to report Trettebergstuen to the police. – The way I see it, there are two possibilities: Either the responsibility commission, or closure. Hagen points out that mistakes committed as a minister will be the responsibility commission’s area. He believes it will be important to survey previous practice in dealing with breaches of professional integrity. – There are certainly others who have committed breaches of integrity in public administration, and if it has never been punished, then it would be special to punish a minister if you have not punished public officials or civil servants. Deputy chairman of the control committee, Frode Jacobsen from the Labor Party, says they are now waiting for the answer from the constitutional department before they can decide on the way forward. – I have not made up my mind about the alternatives. We will have to look at that when we get an answer. – Could this end in impeachment against Anette Trettebergstuen? – I think that is unlikely. – Why? – I have no need to elaborate. I think it is unlikely. – Police case, then? – No, now we’ll see what comes next. I don’t think it’s particularly likely either. We’ll see what comes, and then we’ll take it from there.
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The control committee asks for advice on possible impeachment proceedings against Trettebergstuen – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
