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industry picture is much more nuanced – and “what characterizes
positive! – than the political scene might suggest.
To be a minister in a country like Norway, where norway is the high quality
we enjoy so many resources, so many excellent
companies with expertise that is important for
not only Norway but the rest of the world, it’s a of what we offer.”
fantastic job.

Put differently, do you enjoy your job?
Absolutely, I do.
Nontheless, many people are threatening to
You were previously Minister of Fisheries. move out…
What was it like to go from that position to Yes, but there are more who do not, who live
taking over the business sector throughout in Norway and contribute to Norway being a
Norway? fantastic country in which to operate and run a
I loved being Minister of Fisheries and Ocean business, not least a startup. We’ll be presenting
Policy. Fish and the sea are some of the most Norway’s very first White Paper on start-ups this
beautiful things we have. One of the finest things autumn, which will help to create a new policy
we can offer the world is to provide so many for both start-ups and founders in the future.
meals with Norwegian seafood every single
day – it’s 39 million every day. That’s absolutely I think we can achieve a lot by engaging in
marvelous. Whether it’s fisheries and seafood dialogue. We must remember that a lot of good
and the sea, or the industry itself, it’s all about things are happening in Norway, and we live with
the same thing: value creation. It’s about people, differing views on some of these things. When
about local communities along the coast and it comes to the expat tax, it’s not a new tax. It’s
inland, that’s what industrial policy is all about. out for consultation now. It’s important that the
Ultimately, it’s about people. We have a lot to value created in Norway also contributes to the
offer in Norway, whether it’s on the fisheries side, tax system in Norway. That’s what it’s all about
or on everything else we have on the table here. – to ensure that we do that.

Some of the richest people in Norway have You come from northern Norway and are very
moved to Switzerland. From what I’ve gathered, keen to attract more tourists to Norway, and
this has become more pronounced under this for them to stay longer. How are you going to
Government than before, and people seem to achieve this?
be very annoyed. We’re going to be working a lot with the tourism
Yes, it was the case also under the previous industry in the future. It’s a fantastic industry for
government even before this one. It’s important Norway that employs more than 180,000 people
to nuance this. There are those who are angry. across the country. It’s Norway’s fifth largest
The vast majority of people in Norway however export industry, and we break records year after
are concerned that we have a fair tax system that year when it comes to tourism.
both redistributes and minimizes differences
in society. That’s important to us, and it’s also What characterizes Norway is the high quality
important to have predictability in terms of of what we offer. We have a lot of different things
conditions and, not least, to maintain a dialogue to offer to visitors. What’s important now is that
with those who think otherwise. we, together with the industry, get the tourists
who come to Norway to stay longer and to spend
We have done that in the past. My Secretary more money. We also need to ensure that it is
of State was in Switzerland not so long ago, in sustainable, and that we protect our vulnerable
Luzern, and met several of those who have nature.
moved out. I have invited dialogue and welcome
anyone who wants to return home to Norway. The summer season is just around the corner. If
We all have to contribute to the community and you look to Lofoten, in the north of Norway, we
have a fair tax system, and I really believe that know that they will receive a lot of tourists over
we do. the next two months. We need to ensure that

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