Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB

It is not at all long since a parliamentary election was held in Norway. Then, in September last year, all the major parties (not the small ones) had every opportunity to raise any matter for open debate. But regarding the EU issue there was deathly silence from Høyre, Venstre and Miljøpartiet De Grønne. Here a comprehensive gag order applied. Now, however, the political trio suddenly consider the EU issue to be “red hot”.

Why is it that no one other than NRK “understands” that the EU issue is suddenly burning, with the matter coming up again and again more than weekly at present – most recently at the weekend, something Document, through John Martin Johansen, punctiliously and linguistically devastatingly promptly put in its place where the matter belongs. In the political lavatory.

Iceland in – Norway alone?

And as if this were not enough; Iceland is now preparing an EU referendum. Admittedly not entirely according to the Norwegian model, where we first negotiated an agreement and beforehand and in the dead of night cobbled together a finished EEA Agreement (EØS-avtale), ready in the background should the people “vote wrongly”. Thereafter the people were invited to vote on the negotiation result with the EU in the referendum in 1994. Everyone remembers how that went.

In Iceland one is allegedly to vote on whether to enter into negotiations concerning possible membership; thereafter the people shall vote on the result – yes or no. It now even appears that the vote on whether Iceland shall enter into negotiations on possible membership may be brought forward. The Icelanders have suddenly found themselves short of time, so that a new possible date becomes this year, most likely in the autumn.

It may sound as though the significance of Iceland is exaggerated, but for Norway’s part Iceland is a neighbouring country and the EFTA country with which we have the closest relations. Moreover, Iceland has fisheries resources which to a considerable extent may be compared with Norway’s. That Norway must follow this development more than closely is beyond doubt, but it is difficult to see how this alters Norway’s point of departure.

Here the following presumably applies: the EU wants control over our major resources to a greater extent than today, and to incorporate them for the common good of the entire Union.

Sly game

With their EU initiative, the three aforementioned parties demonstrate that they do not care a whit about public opinion, but on the contrary believe that Norway in principle shall hold referendums on EU membership so many times (at least once in every generation) that it ultimately ends with a yes.

Høyre last year made the worst election in modern history, and Venstre much the same, while MDG crawled over the threshold. Taken together, the three parties which now demand a new EU campaign and the disposal of Norwegian sovereignty over all our most important resources, including oil and gas, had a meagre 23.1 per cent of the votes in the election in September.

But into the EU they shall go, irrespective of the fact that the most recent major EU poll showed that over 60 per cent would vote no to the EU today. Only just over 25 per cent would answer yes, while the remainder did not know. That is the situation when V, H and the thoroughly petty-bourgeois MDG seek to force through an EU debate once more.

– There are different circumstances now, there is increasing insecurity and war in Europe and the world, it is argued. Yes indeed, but there was manifestly war in September last year as well, before and during the election, without so much as a peep about the EU from the aforementioned parties’ sly and calculating politicians.

There is at least one entirely essential fact these politicians have not understood, namely that they are elected representatives and ought to comprehend a little more of what that entails – inter alia to take a certain account of the people’s demands and opinions.

Ap wants in – but keeps quiet

Ap, which still prudently keeps its mouth shut about the EU issue, was equally silent – if not more silent – during the election, and prudently remains so. But never forget: Ap is a yes party and may betray democracy in this nightmare-like story for Norway. Just look at Espen Barth Eide and the Prime Minister himself, and the reader will understand what I mean.

FrP, by contrast, stated outright that the EU issue was irrelevant for Norway, both for this election and going forward. Senterpartiet left the Government because of the EU issue and the EU’s Energy Directive, and is thus far the only party in the Storting that has allowed itself to be fired up by the opportunists in Høyre, Venstre and MDG.

The question is whether there are not even more (many?) hidden opportunists among our elected representatives, who ensure that the EU issue is put “on yes tracks” and override public opinion. After all, we demonstrably have a Storting that absolutely does not represent its people.