In 2007, a new national ID card was estimated to cost NOK 14 million.
Today, the project’s total costs is estimated to reach over 700 million according to Aftenposten newspaper.
Avisa referred to fresh figures from the ‘Revised National Budget’, where project costs are estimated at NOK 596 million.In addition, the conversion of passport offices costs amount to 120 million.
ID cards will not be in place until 2020.
Initially, the aim was that the passports and ID cards should be ready by December 2016. Since then, the project has been delayed five times, and Aftenposten reported that the costs have grown as the delays multiplied,and problems grew along the way,with an increased project scope.
According to the government, the increased costs are the result of “actual cost increases”and “measures considered necessary”.Current Attorney General,Thor Mikkel Wara of Fremskrittsparti (Frp) is the sixth minister who has been responsible for the project.
He took over from the party colleague, Sylvi Listhaug.
“The project has not been planned well from the start. At the same time,there has been poor management from the Police Directorate and poor follow-up from the ministry. It has made it a long process before we have seen the problems,” said Listhaug to VG newspaper in March.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
