Following the focus on her appointments, Anette Trettebergstuen resigned as the Culture Minister.
In an emotional speech, she apologised for the mistakes that have seen may question her competence.
Trettebergstuen, stood on a podium and looking remorseful, stated that she was: “Embarrassed, I'm sorry and I'm ashamed.”
The (now) former Minister acknowledges she had made mistakes in her appointments and further added: “I have made serious mistakes related to competence. I apologise profusely and I have broken the rules. I see that what I have told you is not very trust inspiring. I have therefore informed the Prime Minister that I will accept the consequences of my mistakes and resign.”
In Norway, Culture Minister Anette Trettebergstuen has been found to have appointed two of her former colleagues to the board of Norsk Tipping, showing an unfair bias towards them.
Thomas Breen was made a member of the Board in April 2022, while Sylvia Brustad was made Chairman of the Board in April 2023.
All three worked together for the Norwegian constituency, Hedmark Ap, for a number of years, where Trettebergstuen was the Deputy Leader. Breen and Trettebergstuen sat on the Board, with Breen made Trettebergstuen’s deputy during their tenures.
Furthermore, Trettebergstuen was also found to have given former Hedmark Ap colleague a role as Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Norwegian Rikstoto.
What makes the situation worse, it is claimed, is that Trettebergstuen gave no other roles in gaming to people from elsewhere.
Trettebergstuen’s relationship with Breen has become the subject of a competency assessment.
The Ministry of Culture has responded to multiple claims that the ‘personal relationship’ between Breen and Trettebergstuen is the reason for his appointment, stating that it did not consider the pair’s relationship to be a ‘close personal one’ and that both had dealt with one another in ‘professional and political contexts, no closer than that.’
It also stated that it is ‘important that you follow the existing rules of competence so that there is no question as to whether there are too close ties in individual cases. And so we have done that in this case.’
Trettebergstuen’s relationship with Brustad has not been called into significant question and has not been subject to a competency assessment.
