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Budget negotiations moved to the Prime Minister’s Office

The budget negotiations between the governing parties and the Socialist Left Party (SV) are being moved to the Prime Minister's Office (SMK), TV 2 reports.

Published: 27 November 2022 15:34 CET
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According to TV2, there is still a large distance between the negotiating parties when it comes to tax and oil issues. Photo by Elisabeth Mellingen Greve / Unsplash

The negotiations have been ongoing throughout the weekend. The process is now being moved to the SMK, but the members of the Finance Committee at the Norwegian parliament (Storting) will continue leading the talks.

The party leaders are already involved in the process, the news bureau NTB reports.

The Labour Party (AP), the Centre Party (SP), and the SV have been negotiating since November 7th to reach an agreement on next year’s state budget.

Since the AP and the SP have a minority government, they must get the support of another party in the Storting to get a majority for their budget.

The negotiations are currently being led by Eigil Knutsen (AP), Geir Pollestad (SP), and Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes (SV).

The three have had several meetings over the weekend. According to TV2, there is still a large distance between the negotiating parties when it comes to tax and oil issues.

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POLITICS

Norway’s PM says country is ready to recognise a Palestinian state

Norway is ready to recognise a Palestinian state together with other countries, its prime minister said on Friday while hosting Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez, who is seeking support for the cause.

Published: 12 April 2024 16:44 CEST
Norway's PM says country is ready to recognise a Palestinian state

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told reporters that such a decision would need to be taken in close coordination with “like-minded countries”.

“Norway stands ready to recognise the state of Palestine,” Støre told a joint press conference with Sanchez.

“We have not set a firm timetable,” Støre added.

In November, Norway’s parliament adopted a government proposal for the country to be prepared to recognise an independent Palestinian state.

Norway also hosted Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at the beginning of the 1990s, which led to the Oslo Accords.

Sanchez is currently on a tour of Poland, Norway and Ireland this week to drum up support for the recognition of a Palestinian state, according to a Spanish government spokesperson.

Speaking alongside Støre, Sanchez said Spain was “committed to recognising Palestine as a state, as soon as possible, when the conditions are appropriate, and in a way that can have the most positive impact to the peace process.”

On March 22nd, Spain issued a statement with Ireland, Malta and Slovenia on the sidelines of an EU leaders summit, saying they were “ready to recognise Palestine” in a move that would happen when “the circumstances are right”.

Last week, Sanchez told reporters travelling with him on his Middle East tour that he hoped it would happen by the end of June.

Støre on Friday said that he welcomed Sanchez’s initiative to consult among countries to “strengthen coordination”.

“We will intensify that coordination in the weeks to come,” Støre said.

The Spanish leader has repeatedly angered Israel with his outspoken comments since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.

The war in the Gaza Strip erupted after Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,634 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

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