Erna Solberg broke the council of the crown in Geilo

Much has been said and written about Erna Solberg’s birthday celebration in Geilo during winter break. The Prime Minister has deeply regretted having 13 and 14 people present for a dinner at the Hallingstuene restaurant on February 25, and at her short-term rented apartment the next day.

But while the prime minister is not sticking around when it comes to dining at the restaurant, she thinks the picture is nuanced when it comes to the sushi team.

Police case evaluation

While it is not disputed that the Hallingstuene session falls within the wording of the “event ban” regulation, Solberg believes that sushi food is not covered by the provision. However, the Prime Minister does not deny that there were too many present, but that the meeting should be seen as an event. She claims that she was not the organizer of any of the events.

The police are now considering opening a case against the Prime Minister on the basis of the Hallingstuene dinner.

– It’s not comfortable being under police investigation, but it’s what you deserve, Solberg told Dagbladet today.

– Does not apply to rented apartments

Now it has the support of the Ministry of Health and Sanitary Services. In a very detailed email to Dagbladet, Senior Advisor Trude Bakke writes that the regulations do not cover rented cabins and apartments.

Ready for police questioning: – No organizer

– The similarity to private houses, the need to respect privacy and the prehistory of the regulations indicate that the regulations do not apply to meetings in hotel rooms and short-term rented apartments, he writes.

The head of the ministry, Health Minister Bent Høie, yesterday described Geilo’s collections as “not good”.

– We who are responsible for making the rules, we must also follow them, it is very important, he told Dagbladet.

Made for other purposes

Bakke pauses on drafting the regulations “In a public place or in premises and outdoor spaces rented or assigned, including hotels, town halls, town halls, conference rooms and lounges.”

This was Erna’s party

The senior advisor admits that the wording can apparently be understood to mean that the regulation includes, for example, Solberg’s rented apartment, as it is a hotel room that is “rented”. But it highlights that it is aimed at other cases than Solberg’s sushi team:

– However, when the regulation of private meetings was introduced, it was mainly relevant to regulate how many people could be present in meeting rooms, conference rooms, etc. Hotel rooms or apartments were not specifically considered, writes Bakke.

It further explains that the wording was modified during the last year.

– As of May 7, 2020, the provision on events of the covid-19 regulation “event in a public place” was applied. A public place is understood to be a place intended for ordinary traffic or a place where the public travels, such as a park or a restaurant. At the time, it was clear that the provision did not apply to hotel rooms or apartments for short-term rental, writes the senior advisor.

Was expanded

– The government modified the provision so that as of June 8 it also applies to “events in premises that are rented, including hotel facilities, parsons, assembly halls, conference rooms and salons.” The purpose of this was to clarify that venues where many could meet should be covered by the provisions, even if they could be closed to others who are not registered or paying, writes Bakke.

He explains that the background for the change was statements from the business community that, for example, hotels and conference rooms should not be considered a public place because the public could be left out. In addition, infection control considerations also applied to the large concentrations of people in these locations.

– At that time, the gathering of up to 50 people was allowed, which was later increased to 200. Therefore, it was not the intention of this to allow the provisions to apply where guests stay overnight. Hotel rooms do not usually accommodate many people and in no case will they be considered a public place to which the public has access, says the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health.

– Similar to private housing

Bakke further writes that hotel rooms or apartments that are rented as accommodation “bear strong similarities to private homes.”

– Nothing to scream

– The right to family life and privacy must be ensured. The Ministry has emphasized that the regulations do not apply to private housing, the senior adviser writes and concludes:

– These conditions indicate that an event in a hotel room or short-term rental apartments used for accommodation is not covered by the regulations.

– definitely

Law professor Hans F. Marthinussen disagrees with Solberg’s claim that dinner at the restaurant is subject to regulations, while the sushi team in the apartment is not. For NRK, it refers to the wording mentioned above on what premises are covered by the event definition: “In a public place or in premises and outdoor spaces rented or assigned, including hotels, town halls, town halls, conference rooms and lounges.”

– I think that a rented apartment certainly falls within this definition. So maybe Solberg thinks that someone who rents a house or an apartment and invites 100 people, simply defies the recommendations? he tells the state channel.