Communist Party of Norway
“The struggle of Communist and Workers Parties in the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis.” Intervention by Svend Haakon Jacobsen International Secretary PB of CC
Dear Comrades, CP of Norway thanks the IMCWP 95 Working Group to give us this opportunity to present our experiences and views in the digital edition of a special issue of the International Bulletin, due to the postponement of the 22nd IMCWP. As you know Norway has through referendums in 1972 and 1994 voted no to membership in the EU, but we are associated through the EEA agreement. Both Social-democrat and rightwing party Governments have reduced vital healthcare capacities in public hospitals and also in nursing homes. This did not occur accidentally, they are the result of the anti-people policy pursued by governments in support of profitability of monopoly capitalist groups. Therefore when the Covid 19 pandemic broke loose, the capacity in our hospitals was way below necessary. Hospitals were asked to postpone planned operations that could wait “without risking lives”. They reallocated departments to take on patients with Covid 19 virus and also the specialists for the intensive care. People with relevant education and background were asked to do voluntary work both in health and other vital staffs in police, fire brigades etc. They are not building up necessary capacities in our society, just temporary “voluntary” work. March 12th 2020 the government decided to close down society to try to manage the spread of virus. Teachers and people with desk jobs could teach and do their jobs from home though their computers on the net. All the others were dismissed or given notice. Trade Unions and Trade Union Central (LO) started negotiations with the government, to try to give better support, and for a longer period for their members. Unemployment rose dramatic, till the highest in Norway since the US stock exchange crackdown in 1929. More than 430000 workers were unemployed, a very high percentage, and now a long time later still is around 8%. The Government said they were asking their office to use more efficient procedures to pay the unemployed their benefits. But it took too long time, and many people risked to lose their homes, car etc. This happened in one of the richest countries in the world. The Norwegian state Pension Fund is worth more than one thousand billion dollars. The Fund has invested surplus from the oil and gas production in shares, bonds etc. and it has been growing every year, even if it has a halt in this deep economic crisis, both due to the pandemic and the capitalist crisis.
