Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor Party) has answered FRP leader Sylvi Listhaug’s questions about the conversation he had with Jens Stoltenberg.
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The answer is available in the Storting websites.
“The Prime Minister has both stated that he has talked to Jens Stoltenberg about the position as central bank governor, and that he has not talked to Stoltenberg about this.
Which statement from the Prime Minister is wrong? », Listhaug asked in the written question in the Storting.
Støre’s answer is now available.
«Jens Stoltenberg and I have been close friends for many years. When I became prime minister, I therefore quickly reported to the cabinet minister that I would be incompetent if Stoltenberg were to be relevant for the position of central bank governor, as several media reported. “, He writes in the answer.
The Prime Minister elaborates that he and Stoltenberg went for a walk together in the woods in Oslo on October 24 last year.
On his way to the Storting’s question time on Wednesday, VG asked him about his contact with Stoltenberg and how he has referred this to the public.
– Did you speak lies?
– No, never false, Støre acknowledged to VG’s reporter.
“During the trip, Stoltenberg mentioned that he could be interested in the position as central bank governor. I said then that this was a topic we could not talk about because I am the Prime Minister and in light of our friendship would be incompetent if it became relevant. We then changed the topic, and the position as central bank governor has not been touched on in our contact page. », Støre writes in the written answer to Listhaug ..
Støre also explains why he answered “No” when NTB asked him question whether he and Stoltenberg had talked about the position.
“Because I just actively avoided talking to Stoltenberg about his possible candidacy, I said no when NTB asked if I had had a conversation with Stoltenberg about the position.”
He also writes:
“When TV2 in January asked if I had at any time talked or communicated with Jens Stoltenberg about the position, it was still natural to inform about the communication on October 24, even though I had immediately made it clear that this was a topic Stoltenberg and I could not talk about. “
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will not comment on the political uproar surrounding his candidacy as the new head of Norges Bank.
Jens Stoltenberg is currently chairing the meeting of the NATO-Russia Council before traveling to the EU’s defense ministers’ meeting in France. He does not participate in the debate about the employment, his press contact Sissel Kruse Larsen informs VG.
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