Foss to continue as Auditor General

Per Kristian Foss, Auditor General, Photo: Wikipedia

Foss thrilled to continue as Auditor General

There will be no new Auditor General from the Christian Democrats (KrF). Per-Kristian Foss (67) from the Conservatives (Høyre) will stay on for four more years.

 

– I’m happy with the trust given. It has been a longer period than has been usual, but I have always known that I have support from my own party. Regardless, it’s good to know what to do in the next year, Foss tells NTB.

Parliamentary leader of the Conservatives, Trond Helleland, admits that there have been discussions, but concludes that the four bourgeois party’s have reached an agreement.

– There have been discussions about whether the Christian Democrats would obtain the position of Auditor General, but ended up agreeing on four years with Foss. He has after all only been in the position for four years, and it is common for a Auditor General to stay on longer than that, Helleland tells NTB.

Resistance from the Progress Party

Several in the Progress Party (FrP)  have stated that they would not necessarily accept that the Office of the Auditor General had been awarded to KrF, referring to the process of Carl I. Hagen’s candidacy for the Nobel Committee.

– The parliament has presently introduced a new custom of discussing the candidates, so we will also have to discuss the suitability of the candidates that are being presented, says chairman of the Frp’s Election Committee, Ulf Leirstein on Wednesday.

He added that if the Conservatives want to retain the leadership themselves, the Progress Party will support their candidate.

– The discussions will only emerge if the Conservatives chooses to offer the office to another political party, says Leirstein.

The role of Hagen

Asked if the Auditor General had been from KrF if Carl I. Hagen had been elected to the Nobel Committee, Helleland answers as follows:

– Everything matters, and KrF might be a little disappointed with this conclusion. But KrF has stated that they back this and there has been a amicable tone between the four parties during the process.

– Did the Conservatives wish to give this post to KrF despite the fact that a party member being the Auditor General?

– We have given the Liberals the role of Vice-President in the Parliament, and it was reasonable that we also had a discussion about KrF’s positions. But I feel that the conclusion that we have made, has consensus, says Helleland.

The KrF Profiles, Line Henriette Hjemdal and Hans Olav Syversen, both failed to be voted into the Parliament after the election. Both have been mentioned as candidates for the position as Auditor General, additionlly, former party leader, Dagfinn Høybråten, has been mentioned as a candidate.

Critique

In an internal work environment survey at the Office of the Auditor General, Foss was criticized for his leadership style. But it is nothing that has emerged that makes him unfit to continue, says the Conservatives.

– We noticed the report that had some critical input, and I have also talked to Per-Kristian about this earlier this Autumn. In a large workplace there will always be unrest around reorganization, but he must answer for this. I expect the inputs from the report to be something he will follow up, says Helleland.

– I have not been concerned with anything else since October last year, says Foss to NTB. He acknowledges that there has been internal turmoil and relates this to savings and reorganizations. Foss himself believes that much has already improved, especially when it comes to internal communications.

In addition to the position as the Auditor General, the Parliament is to appoint members to the National Audit Office. The positions are distributed among the parties based on their electorate after the election. The Labour party is to have two members, while the Progress Party (Frp) and The Centre Party (Sp) will appoint one member each. It is expected that the elections will take place in the Parliament next week.

 

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today