Norwegian police said on Friday they have fined Prime Minister Erna Solberg for breaking COVID-19 social distancing rules when organising a family gathering to celebrate her birthday.
The fine is for 20,000 Norwegian crowns ($2,352 or Rs 1.75 lakh approx.) police chief Ole Saeverud told a news conference.
The two-term prime minister apologised last month for organising an event to celebrate her 60th birthday with 13 family members at a mountain resort in late February, despite a government ban on events attended by more than 10 people.
While the police would not have issued a fine in most such cases, the prime minister has been at the forefront of the government’s work to impose restrictions, the police said.
“Though the law is the same for all, all are not equal in front of the law,” said Saeverud, justifying the fine.
The news comes a day after the PM told Parliament on Wednesday that Norway hoped to gradually unwind many restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic by the end of June, but must see a decline in infection rates and hospitalizations before it does so.
Norway has had some of Europe’s lowest rates of infections and deaths since the start of the pandemic early last year, but saw a rapid increase in hospitalisations in March led by more contagious variants of the coronavirus.
Solberg presented a four-step plan for easing Norway’s restrictions, and said the first three steps could be completed by the end of June, possibly removing many curbs on travel ahead of the summer holidays, unless new setbacks emerge.
She did not say how long the fourth phase, which will still contain some restrictions, is estimated to last.
“Before we open up we need to see low and stable infection rates. It is important that the number of hospitalisations comes down from today’s level,” Solberg said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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