Erna Solberg
The Norwegian share scandal: Solberg hangs loose - after the man's affairs
Vilma Stockvall
Updated 23:07 | Published 22:39
Erna Solberg with her husband Sindre Finnes. Photo: Falnes, Johan / Ntb
News
The Norwegian government is shaken by several share scandals.
Høyre leader Erna Solberg is one of those who have ended up in trouble - because of her husband's share trading.
Now her days as party leader may be numbered.
- It hurts me to know that many people trusted me - but that I wasn't careful enough at home, says Erna Solberg to Norwegian VG.
Revelations about share scandals have been hailing in Norway recently. It has emerged that several ministers in the current and former government made notable share purchases.
Among other things, the country's education minister, Ola Borten Moe, has resigned after it was revealed that he bought shares in the Norwegian weapons group Kongsberg - at the same time as the government ordered weapons.
It has also stormed around Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt after it emerged that her husband made a number of stock transactions during his wife's time as minister.
Erna Solberg is interviewed by Norwegian NTB after the revelations about her husband Sindre Finne's stock trading. Photo: Emilie Holtet / Ntb
Last week it was Norway's former Prime Minister Erna Solberg's turn to end up in bad weather. Then it was revealed that her husband, Sindre Finnes, made 3,650 share deals between 2013 and 2021 - during Solberg's time as prime minister - and is now suspected of insider trading.
Sindre Finnes is said to have earned around NOK 1.8 million from the deals. He is also accused of having sold out companies in order to hide the extent of the stock trading - both from his spouse and from the outside world.
"Unbelievable"
Solberg and Finnes have been married since 1996 and have two children together.
According to Solberg, she should not have known about her husband's share trading.
- I think it is incredible that this has happened. We have had a long marriage with ups and downs, like any other married couple. This is a severe decline, says Erna Solberg to Norwegian VG.
Finnes and Solberg at the Norwegian municipal elections 2019. Photo: Marit Hommedal / Ntb
Among other things, Sindre Finnes is said to have sold a large number of shares on the same day that his wife made the decision that Norway would be shut down due to the pandemic.
May lose job
- This is very painful. It hurts me to know that many people trusted me - but that I wasn't careful enough at home, says Solberg to VG.
Solberg herself says that she wants to continue leading Høyre. But that it is not up to her but up to the party to decide.
Open for review
According to Solberg, she is open to sharing documents from her time as prime minister. This so the media and the other parties can review her finances during the time that Sindre Finnes bought and sold the shares.
- She is open to giving the press the opportunity to see them because they want it, says Høyre's press manager Cato Husabø Fossen to the NTB news agency.
Sindre Finnes himself has chosen not to answer the press' questions. He denies the accusations that he would have received inside information from his spouse.
FACTS
Insider trading
Knowing something that everyone else doesn't can give you an advantage when trading stocks.
If you know something about a listed company that has not yet become public, but that can affect the price of shares or bonds or the like, that is called inside information.
Using insider information to, for example, buy or sell securities before the information becomes public and the price moves gives an advantage over others - something that can make big money.
But it is prohibited and is called insider crime.
Insider trading is prohibited whether you use the insider information for yourself or on someone else's behalf, directly or indirectly.
It can also be a crime to disclose insider information without authorization.
(Source: Ecocrime Authority & Financial Supervisory Authority)
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar