The Labor Party leaders are fighting to be the government’s richest.
On Wednesday morning, the tax lists for 2020 were published, and the figures show that there are two people who top the list of the very richest in the new government.
At the very top and thus richest is Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestre (Labor Party), who is listed with a fortune of NOK 60,509,413 million. Vestre earned NOK 2,804,114 last year, and must pay NOK 1,530,753 in tax.
Also read: No more zero tax for Thorbjørn Jagland – here is the bottom line
Vestre (35) thus beats its own boss (61), Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor Party), who last year had a fortune of 51,395,625 kroner. Støre earned NOK 2,626,713 last year, and must pay NOK 1,395,009 in tax.
Large fortunes in 2019 were NOK 53,280,231, so it has shrunk somewhat.
For Vestre, on the other hand, the arrow is only pointing upwards: The fortune in 2019 was 52,470,684, a sharp jump from 2018 where it was 34,676,918 kroner.
Also read: Earns twice as much as Raymond Johansen
The money in the bank
For several years, there has been attention around Støre’s fortune, but last summer the Labor leader chose to put his fortune in the bank, to avoid more attention around it.
Støre’s fortune comes from an inheritance after the sale of the kiln manufacturer Jøtul, which was owned by the family until the 1970s. In recent years, he has let DNB and Danske Bank manage the money through funds, but now has all the assets in their bank account.
In addition, last year he separated a quarter of the inheritance to his children.
Also read: Støre put everything in the bank: Has missed tens of millions
Bearing in furniture
Vestre’s fortune comes from furniture sales. The Minister of Trade and Industry owns 70 per cent of the furniture manufacturer Vestre AS, while his mother Elisabeth Preus Vestre owns the remaining 30 per cent. In addition, the Minister has been the general manager of the group.
The furniture group had sales of NOK 214.6 million last year, an increase from NOK 202.5 million in 2019, according to the income statement and balance sheet that Nettavisen has previously mentioned.
Also read: The Labor Minister’s own company receives tens of millions in public support
At the end of last year, the Vestre Group had book values of NOK 222 million. 57 million of this is related to buildings and land, and here there may be added value. At the end of last year, the group also had NOK 55 million in the bank, which indicates good liquidity.
Note: The tax figures do not show the entire real salary, but net income (ordinary income) after deductions, but before special deductions and net wealth (taxable wealth) and assessed tax. The actual salary is therefore higher than what appears from the tax lists.
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