Norwegian parliament investigates officials' links with Jeffrey Epstein

Start of parliamentary investigation

The Norwegian parliament has begun official hearings aimed at establishing the circumstances of contacts between representatives of the country's state authorities and the late American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The committee is also examining government actions related to these relationships.

The chair of the parliamentary committee on control and constitutional affairs, Jonas Andersen Sæed, announced the launch of this process. The information is reported by the Reuters agency.

Testimony from senior officials

On 30 September, the committee summoned 11 current and former foreign and development ministers to give testimony. Among the key figures who will have to explain their position is Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. He headed the country's foreign affairs department from 2005 to 2012.

Former foreign minister Børge Brende is also due to appear before the committee. His career changed after the public learned of his friendly contacts with Epstein. This led to his departure from the positions of president and chief executive officer of the World Economic Forum.

Reaction from former ministers and risks to diplomacy

Former development minister Erik Solheim, who is also required to testify, assessed the parliamentary investigation as an excessive reaction. In his words, such actions could negatively affect the work of Norway's diplomatic service.

Solheim argues that due to the ongoing investigation, diplomats may become overly cautious in communication with representatives of other states. He believes this could harm the country's national interests.

Demands on the government

Jonas Andersen Sæed emphasised that the government is obliged to explain what measures are being taken to restore trust in the diplomatic service. "There are many people who have shown extremely poor judgement," the committee chair noted.

The main goal of the parliamentary hearings is to establish the exact circumstances under which Norwegian officials maintained links with Epstein, as well as to analyse how the government reacted to these contacts.