(Dagbladet): In recent years, the debate on the royal luxury consumption and expensive renovations appeared regularly. Privatskole for heir, dress sponsorship and summer luxury yacht vacation, has also attracted attention. Also the cost of the Norwegian monarchy has been discussed.
But how much does the monarchy really taxpayers? And where is the money?
Dagbladet surveys now show that the figures in the public debate is too low and that expenses are increasing in all areas.
Basically the entire royal family financed from the state budget. King is even referred to over 50 times in various documents in the state budget, as a recipient of state funds and by virtue of being Norway’s head of state.
But nowhere in the approved state budget is summarized how much the king and the monarchy cost Norwegian taxpayers annually.
Under the heading “the royal house,” stated the transfers to be 232 million. In addition Dagbladet found 117 million distributed on other budget items. But the bill for the monarchy is much greater.
Dagbladet surveys show that large-disclosed expenditures bringing the annual price tag up at least 460 million.
Dagbladet can reveal that the costs of the royal family has shot extensively in the weather over recent years.
• The total cost of the monarchy has grown at least 37 percent in six years, from 336 million in 2010 to at least 460 million in 2016.
• Total wage costs to the court more than doubled since 2002. When used court NOK 52 million to pay fixed and temporary staff. In 2014 the figure was increased to 119 million. The number of permanent employees increased during the same period from 136 to 153, according to the court’s annual reports.
• Since 2002, when Crown Prince Haakon completed studies, the state has over tripled transfer to Crown Prince couple’s staff, who in 2016 received 18.8 million NOK.
• In the same period, the Crown Prince couple’s taxable appanage doubled to 9.3 million in 2016.
Error premises
An overall cost at least 460 million of the royal house is a much higher amount than politicians, royal experts and Norwegian media have operated with the last decade in monarchy debate.
Several Norwegian media have quoted the Belgian professor Herman Matthijs, who in 2010 and 2012 estimated the price tag to respectively 230 and 240 million. Those two years were the real price tag associated with the Norwegian royal respectively 336 million and at least 409 million. In 2013 estimated capital, based on available information, the total royalty bill to be around 330 million a year, also this too low.
The figures formed the basis when politicians and the public have debated the costs of monarchy and monarchy. Dagbladet has not found examples of the royal family or the government at no time has elapsed and corrected the low numbers.
Withdrew half
The Ministry of Finance has overall responsibility for making the state budget.
– Kong house total expenditure is on 232 229 000 kr for 2016 responds an advisor in the Ministry of Finance in an email, when Dagbladet asks for a summary of the government expenditure on the royal house.
the Ministry refers to the so-called “pocket budget.” It is a shortened version of the state budget, which shows the key figures in the budget and will make it easier for people to see.
– As government spending on the royal family are summarized there?
– Yes, answer the counselor, and writes that there are “pocket budget” that has the most current and correct numbers.
Also in the “pocket budget” box Ministry that the royal family costs taxpayers 232 million respectively.
Missing 117
Dagbladet has obtained documents and budgets showing that the expenses of the royal family is twice as high.
The Ministry of Finance report missing including 117 million to a variety of expenses the state has to the royal family and the monarchy in 2016:
• Kongeskipet, NOK 45 million.
• Personal military adjutants, 5.5 million.
• The many royal estates, 57 million kroner.
• Official trips abroad, 9.6 million.
These expenditures are not collected in one place in the state budget, but are charged separately over the budgets of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Local government and Foreign Affairs.
Dagbladet also found several expenses that should be included in the calculation of the common expenses of royalty and monarchy.
Secrecy
The royal politieskorten (DKP) is the royal family’s bodyguard service in the daily. In recent years the Crown Prince couple’s frequent trips abroad contributed to an increased focus on politieskorten.
The budgets for bodyguards kept secret by the police. But Dagbladet has collected information on expenditure and staff from a variety of sources. Based on the information estimates Dagbladet that the real costs to politieskorten is at least 110 million annually. There is a moderate estimate. Probably the figure is several million more.
The cost to politieskorten covered by the Justice Department, and accounts for nearly a quarter of the total expenditure of the Norwegian monarchy.
The price of the monarchy in 2016 thus becomes at least 460 million, roughly twice the chapter “the royal house” in the state budget.
Critical
– Ministry of Finance has a tradition of being rigorous. It should not happen that about half of the amount lacking, when one asks about government expenditure on the royal family, says Jarle Møen, professor of economics at the Norwegian School of Economics, told Dagbladet.
– Maybe it’s not obvious how all costs should be classified and grouped but it may not be very difficult to give an overview. Dagbladet question is precise and requires a precise answer, says Møen.
The professor has the past decade published numerous research papers on the Norwegian economy. He says it is timely that Dagbladet highlights the total cost of the monarchy.
– It is relevant to an ongoing debate about the royal family, says Møen.
Members of Parliament from several parties in the Finance Committee also reacts.
– at the Ministry of Finance responds so does not hold. It is quite possible for them to disclose the other expenses, says Snorre Valen (SV), to Dagbladet.
– Whoa!
As member of the Standing Committee on Finance uses Valen much of his time to settle into the state budget and the use of public funds.– How much do you think the royal family costs taxpayers annually?
– I would guess between two and three hundred million, says Valentine.
He is surprised Dagbladet findings show that there are far more, after the entire state budget and a numerous other documents on security spending is overturned.
– Four hundred and sixty million? Whoa! I did not think it was so much. Dagbladet corrected figures show that the real costs to the royal family is much higher than what is known to the public, says Valentine.
– That no one has come out and tried to correct the impression of low spending is quite interesting. And it will be interesting for the debate on the monarchy to come, says Valentine.
– The foul with debate
Since 2014, the increase in costs to the monarchy has been greater than for the rest of the state budget. In the period from 2010 to 2016 cost the royal house taxpayers 2.8 billion total. Valentine is not surprised by the rapidly increasing costs of monarchy.
– One of the challenges with the royal family and the economy is that it is seen as vulgar to bring it up for debate. Then it is not unnatural that expenditure rises, says Valentine.
Dagbladet in connection with the case asked a series of questions to the royal family and the court. Communications Manager Marianne Hagen confirms that all questions were referred to the royal family. The castle has only wanted to answer questions by email.
– The Royal Court wants to have its most effective and cost-efficient operations to safeguard the requirements of the business. The transfers from the Parliament to the Royal Court for 2016 at 211 733 000 kroner. We can not vouch for Dagbladet estimates, writes Hagen about math showing that the monarchy cost at least 460 million annually.
In court appropriation Hagen referring to are not appanage of royalty. These are the Ministry of Finance data.
In their report outlines castle for the use of revenues to the Royal Court and specific real estate projects. They have not even counted in the total expenditure taxpayers have to monarchy.
During a meeting with Dagbladet on Friday 4 March, the hofmarschall Mølleskog a presentation of restructuring at court. She has refused to ask for an interview with Dagbladet about the current operations of the Royal Palace and the court.
- We get more monarchy for money. There you can quote me on, said Mølleskog.
Saute the sum
Dagbladet asked the Ministry of Finance on why not all the expenses of the royal family are available in one place.
– Unsure what you mean. Kong house total expenditure is 232 million for 2016, counselor.
The counselor asks Dagbladet call Local Government (KMD). KMD refers to an enumeration of the proposed expenditure relating to the monarchy, which is on page 43 of their budget, “Prop. 1 S “to the Parliament for 2016.
Neither there are proposals summarized for the reader.
In the budget item for politieskorten are no figures available. Expenses for gardens security at several royal properties are not mentioned. In the approved budget is no overall or summarized overview of the costs of the Norwegian monarchy and the royal house.
In the national accounts, all specific expenditure in the fiscal year overall. King is mentioned 24 times in the last government accounts, but not where it says some summarized overview providing an answer to what the monarchy costs the taxpayers.
Garden
His Majesty the King’s Guard (HMKG) is king military bodyguard, with the motto “Everything for the king!” the department is the largest in the army, and is also part of the capital’s total defense.
The army has not been able to figure out exactly how much Gardens comprehensive security at the royal estates costs. According to Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jankov’s Army costs for the operational activities at HMKG at around 300 million a year.
Because of the uncertainty has Dagbladet omitted Garden from the sum total of the calculation of the costs of the monarchy.
If it still expects the operating expenses of Garden will monarchy cost taxpayers at least 760 million in 2016.
And including farm spending has monarchy cost at least 4.9 billion since 2010, according to Dagbladet calculations.
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