Research and Higher Education Minister Ola Borten Moe (Sp) admits a breach of the government’s integrity rules, following the purchase of shares in Kongsberg Gruppen. Borten Moe says he has also broken the government’s guidelines for stock trading, revealed E24 Friday.
Borten Moe broke the regulations when he was in January at a government meeting about a multibillion-dollar contract for the ammunition manufacturer Nammo. The week before, he bought shares for over NOK 400,000 in Kongsberg Gruppen, which indirectly owns 25 of Nammo. The minister also broke the impartiality regulations when he took part in a meeting of the government on 30 March, when the government increased the framework for the contract with Nammo. He also admits other share purchases in recent years, and that these have been a breach of the government’s guidelines.
Don’t fear Ecocrime
– This is an incredibly embarrassing case. It is a serious matter. This means that my integrity as a minister can be questioned. It is a situation I would very much like to have avoided and I apologize for it in the strongest possible terms, says Borten Moe to NRK.
The government members must show “great care” with shares. They must not own or trade in shares if it could “be suitable” to weaken confidence in the minister, the government or the ministries.
Ola Borten Moe says he will continue as minister, if he still has confidence.
Photo: Eirik Johnsen / NRK
– Ecocrime sides they will investigate the matter. Can you sit in the government while they investigate the case?
– It is important for me to say that I have not had access to inside information. This is not about that. It is a case of a breach of competency regulations. I have been careless. I have been present at government meetings that I obviously shouldn’t have been at, says Borten Moe.
– I think it is completely natural, and welcome, that Økokrim asks the questions they think it is necessary to ask. But I have a completely clear conscience about it.
– What did you know about the process that took place when you bought shares?
– I had neither knowledge of nor knowledge of the ammunition purchase. In retrospect, this is an obvious misjudgment. Because I had bought shares, and I should never have done that in the first place. And then I should not have been present at that meeting when this issue was discussed in the government. My intention was to buy long-term in these companies, as long-term savings.
Several politicians from the opposition parties believe Borten Moe should resign. He wants to continue as a minister, but says it is now up to others to assess whether he can do it.
– I am very sorry and deeply sorry that I have put myself and the government in this situation. I should really, really avoid that, says Borten Moe.
He says that he has not yet spoken to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Borten Moe says he sold the shares on Thursday.
– Weakens Støre
– This appears to be a very serious matter. It deals both with violations of the rules of competence, but also with these share rules which apply to ministers, which are strict. There have been questions about personal gain, which remain in the air, says political commentator at NRK, Tone Sofie Aglen.
She believes this is not only a serious scratch in the paint for Borten Moe, but also for Støre.
– It leads to a loss of reputation for Støre’s government. The impression left is that the government has not had complete control, says Aglen.
Politicians react
The opposition politicians have roughly queued up today, with strong criticism of Borten Moe:
– This appears to be yet another serious matter, where ministers do not understand their own role. It should be elementary that you cannot engage in share trading in a company and at the same time take part in dealing with cases about the same company in government, says Frp leader Sylvi Listhaug to NRK.
Trettebergstuen had to go
Several members of the government have been in disrepute this summer. Education Minister Tonje Brenna (Ap) gave a board position to a friend, among other things, and had to answer in the Storting.
Culture Minister Anette Trettebergstuen (Ap) appointed and proposed people she is incompetent to deal with, also after a warning from the ministry. She resigned as a minister.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre believes there is a big difference between the two cases.
– There are significant differences between Trettebergstuen’s case and Brenna’s case. Brenna’s case is serious, but is of a different nature to what we have seen in Trettebergstuen’s case, Støre said earlier this summer.
– Are there too bad routines in the government, Ola Borten Moe?
– I do not want to comment on the other cases. I was asked by several media outlets a month ago if I had integrity issues. Then I was convinced that I didn’t have it, but I see now that I had things I hadn’t thought about.
2023-07-21 11:33:17
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