Mersith believes that conservatives and liberals are becoming populists

Cecily Mersith (Labour) adds the broad side to the attack on the opposition – which it believes operates as reluctant populists. At the same time, she believes in “a great relief” next week.

Written by Martin Legland, VG

VGCecilie Myrseth (Labour) chairs Parliament’s Health Committee. She told VG that she is tired of the way previous government parties are acting against the Corona measures.

We’ve now gone from the conservatives and Erna Solberg’s use of the campaign trail to announce a full reopening, to the fact that they are now getting around the situation and trying to score cheap points with residents who are understandably tired of the procedures and corona.

Conservatives and liberals have moved from responsible parties when it comes to Corona, to a populist and vacillating line. Unrecognizable, says Mersith.

Earlier this week, Sveinung Rotevatn of the Liberal Party went to VG and asked to cancel the home office order.

Myrseth also refers to several Conservative proposals, including that Tone Wilhelmsen Trøen (H) has referred to the government as absent and negative in dealing with corona.

room for difference

– Despite professional advice, actions boil down to politics. Isn’t there room for the opposition to have its say in the procedures?

– Yes sure. There is room for that. There is room for disagreement. But I am amazed that the parties that have governed large parts of the pandemic have suddenly become uninterested in getting professional advice on the table. It’s a complete change of heart from conservatives, and many easy moves. Now I’m sick of it, says Mersith.

She believes the opposition should be patient to wait for professional advice to be sent to the government from health authorities this week.

At the same time, she warned, the advice could lead to what she calls “significant relief” as early as next week.

– During this week the government will receive professional advice and input, which we hope will lead to us having a great rest next week. The opposition knows this, too, but it is very important not to wait for professional advice before concluding.

Reply to the indictment of Rotevatn

After being criticized by Mersith, Rottivaten thinks for a couple of seconds, as if he was quite sure, before saying:

– That’s actually the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

Explain:

– We sat in the government and listened to professional advice, and we listened to professional advice in the opposition. But we have never meekly followed them, either within or outside of government. Infection control measures are ultimately a political responsibility.

He notes that the Støre government previously received professional advice on opening schools, without following the advice.

I do not take this criticism into account at all. The government should prioritize facilitating disproportionate measures, rather than launching unreasonable political attacks.

I don’t allow myself to learn about the responsibility in opposition from the Labor Party, which in its time invalidated government measures to control infection by opening up to drinking and nightlife while we were on our way to a massive contagion wave.

– illogical

Governor Ton Wilhelmsen Troen also rejects Mersith’s criticism.

– I think it is a very unreasonable criticism, from a representative of a party who in the opposition even reviewed our government and our professional council, and voted to open the beer taps when the country entered a new wave of infection.

The conservative politician says the party has been keen to comment on individual actions.

We stand one hundred percent behind the government’s actions against Omicron. We supported their decision to wait until long after the New Year to consider the impact of the measures, says Tron.

She notes that conservatives have demanded a professional basis for several decisions.

When the Labor Party, the Socialist People’s Party and the Socialist People’s Party in the Norwegian Parliament set an end date for business and industry schemes for February 28, while the government will review its strategy only in April, we are calling for more predictability of business and people.