Jonas Gahr Støre says election win is still possible 

Despite some torrid times for the government parties in the polls, PM Jonas Gahr Støre has said that it is still possible for him to win the next election. 

“It is an election that we can and must win. It is entirely possible. It is very even between the two sides in Norwegian politics,” Støre told Norwegian newswire NTB. 

“I have a very strong belief that when people feel that the economic outlook is improving, then the results of the policy we pursue also become more visible and clearer to people. I think that can give us increased support,” he added. 

Støre pointed to an expected rise in weal rages this year as a sign things were improving for the public. 

Vedum reminds commuters about tax deductions 

Finance minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum and Nina Schanke Funnemark have reminded commuters of the tax deductions available to them ahead of next week’s tax deadline. 

The current government has increased the travel allowance for people with a long commute to work, but this part of the tax return must be filled in manually. 

“The tax return has become very simple, and much is filled in for you automatically, but if you have a claim to travel deductions, you must, as a general rule, enter this yourself in the tax return,” Vedum said. 

For 2023, commuters can get a tax deduction for daily round trips between their home and work of more than 37 kilometres for 230 working days of the year.

Meanwhile, Schanke Funnemark said anyone unsure about potential deductions could consult the Norwegian Tax Administration for more information. 

“If you are unsure whether you are entitled to a deduction, I would recommend checking the Tax Agency’s deduction guide. You can find it on our website,” she said. 

Sami name for Oslo approved 

Norway’s mapping authority will reverse its original decision and approve the Sami name Oslove for the Norwegian capital. 

The decision had previously been rejected due to the mapping authority believing it was not in line with the Place Names Act. 

However, the authority has now changed its position. 

Chaotic day for air travel 

Thursday was a chaotic day for air travel in Norway due to a temporary closure of the airspace in the south. 

Even after the issues had been resolved, there was still a large number of delays and cancellations for passengers.