An investigation by a public broadcasting, a follow-up by the police, and a fine for the person holding the highest office in the land: A month after a probe was launched into allegations that Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg violated coronavirus restrictions by holding a birthday party, the police have fined her 20,000 krona (Rs 1.75 lakh).
Solberg celebrated her 60th birthday with 13 relatives at a mountain resort in February, despite a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people. The prime minister has apologised for breaking coronavirus rules and said she accepted and would pay the fine.
“I’d like to say again that I’m sorry for breaking the coronavirus rules,” she said on Norway’s TV2 News. “I will accept the fine, and pay it.”
Interestingly, the police would not normally have fined violators of this law. However, given the stature of the institution of the prime minister’s office, police felt it was necessary in order to uphold the “public’s trust in the rules on social restrictions”.
“Though the law is the same for all, all are not equal in front of the law,” police chief Ole Saeverud told a news conference, justifying the fine, The Guardian reported. “It is therefore correct to issue a fine in order to uphold the general public’s trust in the rules on social restrictions.”
The violation came to light after NRK—Norway’s public broadcaster—released an investigation showing the breaking of COVID-19 restrictions. Solberg and her family held a sushi dinner at the Ustedalen Hotel and Resort in Geilo.
