– The government has said that they will wait until January 14 to make assessments of the measures. We believe there is no correct understanding of the Infection Control Act, says SV’s deputy leader Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes to NRK.

– There must be continuous assessments and also adjustments along the way, if you look at the requirements of the law, for example whether proportionality, is not followed, he continues.

SV’s so-called loose proposal will be considered later today, at the same time as the representative proposal from Frp to lift the national liquor ban.

– So you mean that the government so strongly insists that no changes should be made before 14 January is in violation of the Infection Control Act?

– If it gradually becomes apparent that the measures are not in proportion to the infection control effect and that the consequences are too great, then it is not a correct understanding of the Infection Control Act to wait until a date set in December.

Pouring and red level

When asked if he thinks it is obvious now that the infection control measures are not proportionate, Fylkesnes answers as follows:

– There are very many indications of this, including the national liquor ban and the red level in upper secondary schools, says Fylkesnes.

– But if SV thinks these measures are not proportionate, can you not put forward a proposal to repeal them then?

– No, these measures must be seen in context. And then there are some of the reasons here, which are unclear to us. Is everything published? Do we know everything? That is why we are asking for a new assessment and the basis for this must be made public.

The FRP’s proposal to abolish the liquor ban is supported by the MDGs, but will not get a majority. This is first and foremost because the other parties are reluctant to instruct the government when it comes to pure infection control measures, even though this has happened before the pandemic.

Want the justification

The Liberal Party will also put forward a loose proposal when the question of abolishing the national liquor ban comes up for the Storting later today.

According to Fylkesnes, SV will vote in favor of this proposal, which has been put forward by the Liberal Party’s Sveinung Rotevatn.

The proposal from the Liberal Party advocates that the government must publish assessments of the proportionality of the infection control measures at the same time as they are proposed to be introduced or continued.

– In a way, this is to open doors. Because if the measures are not proportionate according to the Infection Control Act, then the government does not have the authority to introduce them. When we propose this anyway, it is because we believe the government very inadequately justifies several of the intervening measures. This applies to both the bar stop and the red level in upper secondary schools, says Rotevatn.

– It is not FHI and Hdir that make the decisions, it is the government that does. And then there must be openness about the reasons, says Rotevatn.

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