Karin Woldseth banished from the Council of Europe in perpetuity after ethical infringement – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country

Self-defense Woldseth's accusations Azerbaijan

It was not believed when the Pace Rule Committee considered the charges against her and 13 other former members at the end of June.

All were banished for life to have violated the code of ethics of the assembly.

– It's sad and stupid. This is not nuanced at all. I have had a minor breach of an ethical guideline and it is judged as harshly as if I had been corrupted, "said Woldseth to the NRK

Report: – Azerbaijan Network Share [19659006Intheyears2009to2013sheheadedtheStortingDelegationattheParliamentaryAssemblyoftheCouncilofEuropehavingbeendeputyrepresentativeinthepreviousperiodWhileinPacesheheldseveralimportantpositionsAsathankyouforthiseffortshewasnamedanhonorarymemberinJanuary2014

Now, the assembly, which aims to promote democracy and human rights in Europe, decided that she could never visit them. The context is a report of an independent inquiry commission. He was arrested following allegations that Azerbaijan has appealed against the Council of Europe's decisions against serious human rights violations (see box at the bottom of the page). of the page).

The report indicates that evidence has been found justifying a "strong suspicion" of corruption among several current and former members. 19659002] In addition, several former members are criticized for having acted in violation of the Code of Ethics of the Assembly.

It's there that Karin Woldseth comes in.

The year after he left Storting, Woldseth became a lobbyist. According to the evaluation report, she was "generally considered part of a network of people working in Pace for Azerbaijan".

The review report points out that it has not been proven that she was receiving pay for her work. At the same time, she states that she acted "in a manner inconsistent with her ethical obligations as an honorary member".

Paragraph 16 of the Code of Ethics states that former members representing other persons or interests may not enjoy the "privileges associated with the honorary membership in the distribution of documents and access to buildings and meeting rooms ". According to the report, Woldseth broke this by using his access card to lobby, for example on behalf of Azerbaijan.

Woldseth does not want to name any customers

Even Woldseth told NRK that she had not read the instructions correctly to return the access card when she started as as a lobbyist. She returns the statement that she acted on behalf of Azerbaijan

– They claim to have been a lobbyist on behalf of Azerbaijan and Armenia. And for all those who have such an overview of European politics, we know that it would make no sense. One can not be a lobbyist for both Armenia and Azerbaijan at the same time, she told NRK. The two former Soviet nations are in conflict with the Nagorno-Karabakh epidemic

– Do you refuse to lobby for Azerbaijan?

– I have not directed any lobbying activity other than Norway. It was then the UD who paid for the trip and the stay when I went to lob for Thorbjørn Jagland to be reelected.

– Aftenposten wrote that you were twice in Azerbaijan in 2014. What did you do there?

– What did I do there? I do not want to go to my different lobbying companies. This is completely out of order. I kept it clear for the press all the time. I do not want to discuss my lobbying. But as far as I know, everyone can travel to Azerbaijan

– Have you lobbied in Azerbaijan?

– As I said, I do not want to comment on the lobbying activity I did it several years ago

– Do you have received a payment from Azerbaijan or actors representing Azerbaijani interests?

– As I said, I did not go to see who lobbied for. It was part of the deal with which I was a lobbyist. You must respect that.

Voted against the critical report of Azerbaijan

In 2013, Woldseth was one of the majority votes to stop a report on political prisoners in Azerbaijan. According to Aftenposten, she was the only Norwegian politician to vote. She had already told the paper that she had voted as she had done because Frp's colleague, Øyvind Vaksdal, who was on the committee that had examined the report, had recommended that he vote against it. Opposed to Aftenposten, Vaksdal Challenged

– What do you mean to those who ask you if you voted for this because you allegedly worked for Azerbaijan?

– Yes, it's like a trick may have become, says Woldseth, laughing.

– I did not work at all for Azerbaijan. And at least not while I was a parliamentarian. I became a lobbyist one year after finishing as a parliamentarian. I've always kept my way clean. Always, she says.

Woldseth warned

The year after the controversial Woldseth poll began as a lobbyist. His behavior led the Norwegian delegation to Pace to send a letter of concern to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the class struggle, they appointed Woldseth as a lobbyist for the Church of Scientology and Azerbaijan. At that time, Woldseth denied that there were teams in the allegations.

The right-wing politician Ingjerd Schou took over the leadership of the Norwegian delegation after Woldseth. Today, she is the third vice-chair of the committee who recently ruled that Woldseth and 13 others will be extinguished for life

– The main reason is that they abused what is the basis of all political activity, trust. Then, the decision of the Regular Committee must be dismissed, and it is no longer an honorary member, "she told NRK

– How do you react to a former Norwegian member honored in as an honorary member of the Lobby?

– It is both unacceptable and disappointing

Meaning that the report is wrong

Lise Christoffersen and Schou, an Ap politician, are named in the report as key witnesses in the report. case against Woldseth

] Against the NRK, Schou and Christoffersen point out that they only transmitted second-hand information. Schou has already been quoted in the media that Woldseth should have told her that she had been raped on behalf of Azerbaijan, but the good politician says that's not true

– J & rsquo; I asked Karin Woldseth when she was present at the Council of Europe, if she represented someone and did not receive an answer. Ingjerd Schou at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in January 2017 "title =" Foto: Cathérine Monfils / Council of Europe "/>