(Dagbladet): Summer 2014 would transport minister Ketil Solvik-Olsen on an E6-tour from Oslo to Kirkenes and asked for help from the Ministry communications department.
Dagens Næringsliv has in a series of articles revealed the conflict that oppsto- a discussion including traded on whether requests from Solvik Olsen and political leadership broke with the principles of the civil service should be politically neutral.
In September 2015 Director General Anne Marie Storli removed from his position and moved to the Public Roads Administration.
Now displays an email Dagbladet has disclosed, that parts of the handling of Solvik-Olsen and his political leadership was approved by one of Erna Solberg closest associates at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO):
“I have checked with SMK that our handling this does not violate the principles that governs in other ministries,” wrote then-Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, current agriculture minister Jon Georg Dale Anne Marie Storli 17 June 2014.
Grey Zone
After that Dagbladet experience was Erna Solberg Deputy Minister Sigbjørn Aanes who gave the go-ahead to Jon Georg Dale.
Dale had contacted SMK to check if it was okay that political leadership (POL) requested communications department (KA) to assist with the organization of the E6-trip and stay in contact with mayors and other representatives of local authorities.
Anne Marie Storli would not comment SMKs “approval”, but told Dagbladet that the Ministry of Transport has always been the practice that all contact with elected officials were handled by the political leadership.
– It was this practice I referred to in my feedback to Reynir Johannesson. There had never been discussion about this earlier. That does not mean I was not willing to discuss such gray areas, but it was never opened for such a dialogue.
Party Political assistance
One of the salient points of the conflict is a epostutvekskling ahead of E6 tour.
Der ask including political adviser Reynir Johannesson about KA can call the Mayor of Lillehammer and ensure that there is space for representatives from the Conservatives and the Progress Party at a meeting. Johannesson stresses in the email that he himself will keep in touch with parties locally.
In a response writes Anne Marie Storli that “Political contacts must go from POL.”
According to a note referenced in DN from former Secretary Eva Hildrum, would Ketil Solvik-Olsen have more “politically assistance» from KA, than he experienced getting. According Hildrum wanted Solvik-Olsen including the KA should write press releases criticizing the previous government.
– Absolutely fine
Aanes will not even comment on the answer he gave Dale, but Secretary of municipal Affairs Eivind Dale, says the following in general terms:
– If a minister visits a municipality so it’s perfectly fine that civil servants in a ministry contacts municipal management. It also applies to the mayor, says Dale told Dagbladet.
Ministry of Local Government is responsible for the state’s administrative and communication policies and thus also the overall guidelines for dialogue between political leaders and public officials.
In a memo about communication units’ tasks, prepared by including SMK, it says that when the minister is traveling with a direct party political side, “requires a demarcation that balances that civil servants should not contribute directly to the party and campaigning work. ”
– It falls outside the guidelines ask civil servants to make direct agreements with local party ILAGA to create an event. This will be achieved through the political leadership. But if all about practical planning, such as that there should be capacity to representatives of a local chapter of a venue, so it is not difficult, says Dale.
– Removed me
Dagbladet shows Storli to Solvik-Olsen’s blog dated December 20, where he writes the following: “It was clarified that the communication department should not have contact with elected representatives, regardless of party color and level. Efforts to contact mayors etc. was therefore conducted by the political leadership itself. “
– This is not true. We received an email from Jon Georg Dale where he ordered us to take this contact – which we did, says Storli, adding:
– A year and a half later are my questions related to gray areas referred to as cooperation issues, apparently so serious that the minister asked to get me removed from his position as head of the communications department.
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