Demanding Transparency on Investigation Commission
Guri Melby from the Venstre party asserts that investigation commissions set up by the Norwegian Parliament should be fully transparent and subject to public disclosure laws to ensure trust in the process.
Guri Melby, a member of the Norwegian Venstre party, emphasized the necessity for transparency in investigations carried out by government bodies, particularly those involved in matters of secrecy. She stated that it would be absurd to conduct a review of situations dealing with confidentiality without full public scrutiny. Melby underscored that when the government forms investigation commissions, they fall under public disclosure laws, but that this is not automatically true for the parliament, which must approve it separately.
Melby calls for the Norwegian Parliament to ensure that the public's right to know is upheld in the mandate setting for these commissions. She believes that trust can only be rebuilt through complete openness in the investigative process. She pointed out the importance of independent journalistic investigations that have revealed significant issues, suggesting that when it is the politicians themselves who oversee inquiries into their actions, the integrity of the process is compromised.
Moreover, Melby warns against the formation of controlled environments where politicians may scrutinize fellow politicians without external oversight. By demanding adherence to public disclosure laws in parliamentary investigations, she aims to bolster public trust and accountability in Norwegian governance. This sentiment resonates with broader calls for transparency and accountability in political processes globally, emphasizing the role of public trust in democratic institutions.