NordenBladet – On the 7th of November 2018 Vardar Eurus AS and minority shareholders of Nelja Energia as the sellers, and Eesti Energia AS’s fully owned subsidiary Enefit Green AS as the buyer, closed the transaction relating to the sales of 100% of the shares in Nelja Energa AS, a renewable energy producer and developer in the Baltic countries. Upon closing, Enefit Green AS, has paid the purchase consideration to the sellers and has been registered as the sole shareholder of Nelja Energia AS in the share register. The share purchase agreement relating to the transaction was signed in May 2018, and made public through a release to Oslo Stock Exchange the 29th of May 2018.
Vardar Eurus is owned 90 % by Vardar AS and 10 % by NEFCO. The sale is in line with the new owner strategy of Vardar, decided in October 2016, where the focus of Vardar is to be the development of hydropower and other energy operations in Norway.
Vardar has issued bonds listed on Oslo Stock Exchange, and has informed Nordic Trustee as an actor of the bondholders about the sale.
NordenBladet – Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway will be the godmother of the brand new Norwegian research ship “Crown Prince Haakon.” This was announced on Friday by the Director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, Ole Arve Misund to the Norwegian press.
The ship will be baptised by godmother Princess Ingrid Alexandra in the city of Tromsø, in northern Norway, on 17 November. During the ceremony, the Princess will be led by her father, Crown Prince Haakon, who has the ship named after him. Also, several guests from the Norwegian defence, parliament, government and prominent researches are invited.
When Princess Ingrid Alexandra baptises the ship, the traditional champagne bottle will be replaced by a big block of Norwegian polar ice. That was how Roald Amundsen baptised the ship “Maud “, which was Norway’s last special-purpose research vessel, in 1917, and named after Queen Maud. Queen Maud was Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s great-grandmother.
“This will be a joyful day for Norway as a polar nation. It is especially pleasing that the Princess will be godmother when the ship is called up after her father. The Royal Family has shown special interest in polar research for several generations”, said Misund to state TV, NRK. This will not be the first time that Princess Ingrid Alexandra baptises a ship. In 2015 she was godmother of the rescue boat “Elias”.
“Crown Prince Haakon” is Norway’s new flagship in polar research vessel; it has cost 1.4 billion NOK to build and has Tromsø as a home port. The in-depth research vessel has become one of the world’s most advanced ships, with both a helicopter hanger and remote controlled submarine as part of the standard equipment.
The ship has room for 35 researchers, which can work in twelve different laboratories throughout the year. Already, the ship has been on its first trip, in the sea between Svalbard and Greenland. The ceremony in Tromsø will be broadcast live on Norwegian TV, and Royal Central will keep you updated.
Featured image: The ship “Maud” (Anders Beer Wilse via Wikimedia Commons)
NordenBladet – On Tuesday, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway attended the funeral of one of Norway’s greatest war heroes from the Second World War, Joachim Rønneberg. The funeral was held in clear, sunny weather in Aalesund in the western part of Norway where Rønneberg came from. Joachim was 99-years-old and died of old age at his local retirement home on 21 October. He leaves behind a nation’s gratitude, several children and grandchildren. His wife died in 2015.
His Royal Highness attended the funeral in his Navy uniform and was greeted on arrival by the priest who performed the funeral. Following a quick introduction to the Rønneberg family, the funeral began in the full church with the song “You Raise Me Up”.
Norway’s current Defence Chief, Håkon Bruun-Hanssen said: “He was a patriot, a true officer and a friend of the Norwegian defence”.
Minister of Finance, Siv Jensen also spoke in the funeral. She said: “When we say goodbye to Joachim Rønneberg today, we also take goodbye to a person completely out of the ordinary. Even though he would not be called a hero, it was exactly what he was; a hero who put others in front of himself all his life”.
Joachim Rønneberg, photo taken in earlier this year. Photo: Handout by Norwegian TV NRK on the occasion of the announcing of Rønneberg’s death.
Labour Party leader, Jonas Gahr Støre and Defence Minister, Frank Bakke-Jensen were also among those who praised the deceased resistance fighter.
Joachim Rønneberg (99), who was a member of Kompani Linge from 1941 to 1945, is best known for leading the famous heavy water operation at Vemork in February 1943. Operation Gunnerside resulted in Rønneberg and his soldiers placing explosive charges on the massive water electrolysis chambers of the Vemork plant. A Thompson submachine gun was purposely left behind to indicate that this was the work of British forces and not of the local resistance, to try to avoid reprisals.
The raid was considered successful. The entire inventory of heavy water produced during the German occupation, over 500 kg was destroyed along with equipment critical to the operation of the electrolysis chambers. Although 3,000 German soldiers were dispatched to search the area for the commandos, all of them escaped; five of them skied 400 kilometres to Sweden, two proceeded to Oslo where they assisted Milorg, and four remained in the region for further work with the resistance.
Rønneberg received several Norwegian and foreign awards, including the War Cross with Sword and the royal St. Olav Medal. The funeral was held at the expense of the state, as an honorary gift usually given to leading political leaders, politicians and soldiers.
Featured image: Joachim Rønneberg´s funeral (Press Office of the Norwegian office of war veterans from World War II)
NordenBladet – Crown Prince Haakon has spoken out for the first time since it was announced that his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit is suffering from chronic pulmonary fibrosis. The Norwegian Crown Prince said that the couple has received a lot of support from the people and that it will help them in the future.
On Thursday, Crown Prince Haakon stepped out for the first time since the announcement of Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s disease, to visit a school and meet with the police at Søndre Nordstrand, Oslo. The Crown Prince was warmly welcomed with applause as he visited the school and learned more about the local community. Crown Princess Mette-Marit was also scheduled to attend, but her presence was cancelled the day before right after the announcement.
The day before, the Norwegian Royal Court announced that Crown Princess Mette-Marit had been diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, “a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. This thickened, stiff tissue makes it more difficult for your lungs to work properly. As pulmonary fibrosis worsens, you become progressively more short of breath,” according to the Mayo Clinic. This disease will eventually limit the life of the Crown Princess. The illness has, however, been discovered in its early stages, and therefore, the Royal Court is “optimistic” about the prognosis.
During the visit on Thursday, Crown Prince Haakon made some remarks on his wife’s disease as he met up with the press after his visit. His Royal Highness said: “I find that there is a lot of support out there. It is very nice and good to take with us on the way forward. We have known about this for quite some time, so this is a situation that continues, as we have lived with it for some years already, but now we finally know a little more about the cause.
“I think it was right to tell about this at the current time, as the Crown Princess’ programme needs to be adjusted here and there once in a while, but I think we can manage.”
In the evening, the Crown Princess did join the others of the Norwegian Royal Family at a parliamentary dinner at the Royal Palace of Oslo.
NordenBladet – This year marks 200 years since Karl Johan became King of Norway and Sweden. This has been celebrated with significant events in both nations, now separated from each other, each having its own royal house. Although, both King Harald of Norway and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden descended from King Karl Johan. One of the very last events in celebrating Karl Johan is now taking place in November in Norway.
The Norwegian Royal Family has decided to end the Karl Johan anniversary with four lectures on the life of King Karl Johan. The lectures will be on Tuesdays in November at the Royal Palace in Oslo.
There will be a total of four lectures, and they are:
– Historian and Senior Europe Correspondent for Royal Central, Oskar Aanmoen will, on 6 November, talk about his last book, Karl Johan’s Coronation Journey in 1818.
– Historian Bård Frydelund, on 13 November, is to speak about Karl Johan as a strategist.
– Professor Emeritus Thomas Thiis-Evensen, will on Tuesday 20 November, talk about King Karl Johan and the heritage from Rome.
– Cultural historian Nina Høye, will, on Tuesday, 27 November, discuss the House of Bernadotte’s plans for royal homes in Christiania.
Those who visited the Royal Palace in Oslo this summer saw a brand new exhibition on King Karl Johan in the main rooms of the palace. The original uniform Karl Johan wore during the coronation in 1818 was exhibited together with Karl Johan’s bed as he used during his visits to Oslo during his reign and some of his personal belongings.
King Karl Johan (1763-1818-1844), originally Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, was born in the south of France and became a soldier 17-years-old. In 1810 there was a political and constitutional crisis in Sweden. The Riksdag chose Jean Baptiste Bernadotte to be King Carl XIII’s successor. It happened in Örebro in August 1810.
Karl Johan had to go to war in Norway in 1814 to get Norway to accept the union. After a short military campaign, the convention in Moss was signed, and on 4 November 1814 Carl Johan’s adoptive father, Carl XIII, was elected Norwegian King as King Carl II. Carl II died in 1818, and his adoptive son became King of Norway and Sweden.
On August, His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden attended a seminar at Ørebro Castle in Sweden in connection with the 200th anniversary of King Karl Johan’s ascension to the throne. The workshop “The Coronation year of 1818” was held in the main hall at Ørebro Castle in Sweden. The guests where mainly historians and politicians from the Nordic countries as well as Russia, France and Great Britain.
Royal Central’s Senior Europe Correspondent, Oskar Aanmoen has published his book this autumn about King Karl Johan’s journey in Norway in 1818. He had the honour to hand over a copy of the book to Their Majesties the King and Queen when they left the castle. Aanmoen describes the royals as “very nice and warm people who showed great interest in the book”.
Featured image: King Karl Johan (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
NordenBladet – It was during the annual solemn parliament dinner, held at the Royal Palace yesterday, that King Harald of Norway spoke about both gender equality and the #MeToo movement.
His Majesty spoke about the historical high gender equality in Norway, and said:
“This year’s dinner is actually historic: Never before have we had women cover the positions of Parliament President, Supreme Court Justice and Prime Minister. Times are changing. For the better, many will rightly claim. I feel that I am in the right place. In addition, when I am surrounded by both the Queen and the Crown Princess, I find myself in the middle of the gold.”
His Majesty also addressed the #MeToo campaign. The King said:
“The year that has passed since we met last time, has, in various ways, been characterised by change. Stories and special women’s revealing stories – not only in Norway but over much of the world – have been told, and we have listened. That some people have the courage to show their most vulnerable experiences, creates room for reflection. I am touched by all of the stories.
“Stories of abuse of power and lack of respect awaken all of us. To go into ourselves. To learn. To be better people.”
It is Their Majesties the King and Queen who, once every year, receive the parliament representatives for a dinner at the Royal Palace. This is a tradition dating back over 100 years. The dinner was established as a permanent tradition by King Haakon in 1906. The dinner has been held every year – except for the years during World War II and when major maintenance work at the palace made it impossible.
The Palace’s own gardeners and flower decorators are responsible for the table decorations. Photo: Kjartan Hauglid, The Royal Court.
During the dinner this year the menu consisted of the following:
Starter: Halibut with roe, artichoke, cucumber and hazelnut milk.
First main course: Crayfish Taco with pickled vegetables and marinated tomatoes.
Second main course: Moose from Sikkilsdalen, served with onion, thyme, rutabaga, grilled pear with a sauce of cranberries
Dessert: Warm apple pie with room and rosins.
Featured image: The large dining room is used during the parliamentary dinner. Photo: Kjartan Hauglid, Det kongelige hoff / The Royal Court
NordenBladet – U – July 22, this year’s film about Anders Breivik’s 2011 massacre, is one of three contenders to be put forward for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
The Norwegian Oscar Committee on Wednesday announced a shortlist of three films, ahead of picking its final candidate next Tuesday.
U – July 22, directed by Erik Poppe, is vying against What Will People Say, by the Norwegian-Pakistani director Iram Haq, and Blind Spot, a film directed by the Swedish-Czech actress Tuva Novotny.
In its announcement, the committee said that Poppe’s film had brought the tragedy to life.
“A large number of facts from AUF’s summer camp on July 22 2011 have already been published,” it said. “But few of us know a lot about the unimaginable panic and confusion that occurred or the impossible choices the victims were faced with.”
But the film faces stiff competition from What Will People Say, with Haq’s previous film I Am Yours put forward as Norway’s entry in 2013.
Her new film follows a Norwegian-Pakistani girl precariously balancing her life as a normal teenager with a traditional Pakistani family existence at home. When her father catches her in bed with her Norwegian boyfriend, he has her kidnapped and sent home to Pakistan, where she discovers her parents’ culture in a new way.
Finally, Blind Spot is the directoral debut for Novotny, who played Mariana Simionescu, the Wimbledon tennis champion who married Björn Borg, in the film Borg vs McEnroe. The film is a story about the grey zones in mental illness.
From October 1, the Foreign Language Committee at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), will begin assessing countries’ submissions, reducing them to a shortlist of six. Three other films will then be added by an executive committee.
Two further committees, one of the US East Coast and one on the US West Coast, will then select the five best to be nominated for the Oscar.
The nominations will be announced on Tuesday 22 January, and the 2019 winner will be announced on Sunday, February 24.
NordenBladet – According to Forbes’ 2017-edition of the world’s billionaires the world’s richest person is still Bill Gates, with a combined wealth of almost $87 billion dollars. Biggest gainer was Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who grew his wealth by almost $3 bn in a year. But who are wealthy in Scandinavia? The list also contains 58 people from the Nordics, more than half of them from Sweden. Meanwhile, Norway, with 14 billionaires, has one more than Finland and Denmark combined.
This year, Sweden saw five new billionaires enter the list, whereas oil & gas billionaire Mika Anttonen (ST1) was Finland’s only new entry. Denmark stayed the same, while Norway had investor Svein Stole and cruise magnate Torstein Hagen enter the list.
The region’s biggest family dynasties are duly represented on the Forbes list. H&M, IKEA and Tetra Laval family members take up more than a third of Swedish spots; elevator giant KONE’s inheritors dominate the Finnish list; and Norwegian investment company Ferd’s inheritors Alexandra and Katharina are the world’s youngest billionaires. The third youngest, 23-year old Gustav Magnar Witzoe, is also Norwegian.
The richest Nordic person on the Forbes list is LEGO Group’s former president and CEO, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen from Denmark. His estimated net worth is $21,2 billion.
Here are the Nordics dollar billionaires 2017, according to Forbes:
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NordenBladet – A new method of calculating wealth has resulted in the World Bank ranking Norway as the richest country in the world. The World Bank based its ranking on wealth per capita and thus beat out Qatar, which earlier held the top spot.
Instead of simply assessing wealth in terms of currency earned, though, the bank translated wealth into the various nations’ available resources both now and for the future. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported over the weekend that expected income for residents of the countries in the course of their lifetimes was also taken into the equation.
Qatar now ranks second on the list, with Switzerland third, followed by Luxembourg and Kuwait. The five poorest countries were listed as Gambia, Burundi, Mozambique, Guinea and the Comores, an island state off of southern Africa.
Ingvild Almås, an economics professor at business school NHH in Bergen and the University of Stockholm, called the World Bank’s new calculations “interesting,” but worries that Norway may score higher than it should. She also warns that Norway’s economic dependence on oil can lead to major swings, given how oil prices rise and fall and how oil resources can run empty.
The wealth of natural resources like oil is part of the calculation in determining countries’ wealth. Almås also noted how oil prices can affect Norwegians’ expected earnings in the future. That makes Norway’s relative wealth vulnerable.
“One reason that we score so high can be that (Norway’s) oil wealth is counted two times,” Almås told NRK, both as a resource and as a factor responsible for relatively high incomes. She also cautioned that “in other countries with a lots of oil, but where the resource is privately owned without such a high degree of taxation as in Norway, oil resources won’t influence personal income to such a degree.”
Oil prices, meanwhile have recovered to around the USD 70-per-barrel mark in recent days, but they can dive again and take with them many jobs. It’s worth noting, though, that the numbers used in the World Bank study are from 2014, when oil prices collapsed. Norway’s economy held up relatively well during the oil price shock and has been recovering for the past year.
The World Bank study points out sharp differences among countries in the world. Norway’s total wealth per capita was set at USD 1.67 million, for example, as opposed to just USD 5,208 per resident in Gambia.
NordenBladet – Popular tourist destinations in Norway are now available on Google Street View Nature. This feature can be used by tourist who are planning on visiting these destinations so that they can better idea of what the terrain is like. Google Norway believes that this will make hiking safer and decrease the amount of rescues on hiking trails.
Anybody can apply to use Google Norway’s Street view equipment to help them on their mission of recording all of the trails in Norway. The equipment consists of a backpack with 15 cameras that weighs about 20 kilograms. It takes pictures every couple of seconds, which are later put together to create a 360 degree panorama that can be viewed in Google Maps.
“We receive far more application than we have the capacity to accommodate,” Press Manager Helle Skjervold told NRK.
Director of Culture for the Municipality of Odda, Lage Thune Myrberget is excited about the project and believes that it will help prevent dangerous situations that occur when tourists aren’t prepared.
“Consider tourists in Australia, China, USA, Canada that want to come here. This gives them a totally unique opportunity to experience the trip as they plan it. They can see how challenging the first kilometer is,” Myrberget tells NRK.
He hopes that if prospective tourists make use of this new feature, then there will be fewer occurrences of people needing to be saved from the trails due to lack of preparation.
Photo: Trolltunga or “Troll Tongue” in Odda, Hordaland County, Norway (NordenBladet)
