Norway’s ambassador to Indonesia called home by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Norway’s ambassador to Indonesia Stig Traavik was called home and deprived of the title by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last year. The reason was allegations of unacceptable behaviour.
Traavik agreed to the revocation, which came into force on December 6 of last year, VG writes in a larger article in Mondays newspaper.
– Such a revocation of diplomatic status is a strict reaction and in line with the Ministry’s views on the seriousness of the matter, writes Communications Director Frode O. Andersen in an email to the newspaper.
Traavik shall have initiated a relationship with two Indonesian business women as well as a cultural worker who, after this, supposedly received monetary assistance from Norway to her organization.
– There are red flags that causes us to ask questions about conflict of interest, says NHH professor Tina Søreide to VG. She has corruption as a special field of competence.
Admits wrong doing, keeps his salary
The woman denies that she has gained financially from her relations with Traavik, something the home called ambassador also maintains.
– I have done something wrong, and I have taken the responsibility for it, but VG’s presentation of the case is wrong. No public funds have been abused and no one has been given unfair advantages, Traavik writes in a statement to VG . He believes that VG’s case is based mainly on information from “persons with revenge motives”.
In February, Traavik was assigned a position as senior advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UD), still has security clearance and has retained his Ambassador’s salary. When Prime Minister Erna Solberg (Conservatives) traveled to China in April, Traavik was one of twelve from the Ministry that, besides the political leadership, were selected to participate.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
