Did you know you need a passport or identity card to travel to Svalbard?
know that In fact So did Agriculture Minister Sandra Porch (SP), but when she arrived on a working trip to Finnmark, Troms and Svalbard earlier this week, things went a little slow. for Fast in turns.
Porch was checking in for a flight from Tromsø to Longyearbyen on Sunday morning when he discovered the passport had been left at the minister’s residence in Oslo.
– Then I thought: “In contrast to Hells”, Porch tells Dogbladet.
– An occasional quirk
Porch was actually supposed to be having dinner with the local council in Svalbard tonight, and tomorrow he was due to hold several meetings in the Arctic city.
Instead, Porch is sitting in his apartment in Tromsø when Dagbladet calls.
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– I go to bed completely flat and sorry I missed these appointments. “Luckily, I have a secretary of state who remembers his passport, so he participates on my behalf,” Porch says with a laugh.
– I am a minister’s whims from time to time, but I think it is sometimes good to remember that we are also completely ordinary people.
Getting help from Oslo
The purpose of the trip to Svalbard is to mark the global seed vault on the island, which turns 15 this year. It takes place on Tuesday. If all goes according to plan, the minister will at least achieve that goal.
There is a new flight from Tromsø to Longyearbyen on Monday, Borch has booked a ticket.
But does it fit?
– We are now bringing it from Oslo to Tromsø. Fortunately, Porch says, I know a lot of people who are traveling, so I’ll hand it over to myself in Tromsø tomorrow.
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– Who is the rescuer?
– There is a state secretary from the Ministry of Justice who is going to Svalbard tomorrow, the minister replies.
Thus a step towards collaboration across ministries.
Appreciate the service
Porch didn’t have a national identity card and it didn’t help that the SP politician sat at the king’s table and had a government identity card.
– They didn’t make any changes, which I think is very good, although it’s a pity that I didn’t travel. Porch says the people at the counter are doing their jobs.
In future, the SP politician will find it more difficult to pack before a work trip, but the responsibility will still fall on her.
– Don’t you have someone who can take care of this?
– No, it’s entirely my responsibility, so I have to take it personally, replied Porch.
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