According to VG, Bjørn Haugan arrived at courtroom 207 in Oslo District Court but left shortly after. " He emphasized that source protection is important to him and said, "They threaten with a fine. I will not accept it.
" Haugan is involved in 147 receipts worth 260,000 kroner. The Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim) believes former Norsk Industri director Stein Lier-Hansen used nearly 500,000 kroner of his employer's money on private restaurant and bar visits. Økokrim demands answers on whether Haugan actually participated in all these dinners.
Prosecutor Bård Thorsen believes Haugan's explanation is necessary to clarify whether Norsk Industri's money actually went to the purposes Lier-Hansen has stated. The question of Haugan's duty to testify has gone all the way to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court concluded there is no risk that sources will be revealed and has therefore ordered Haugan to testify.
VG disagrees with this assessment. " VG fears that sources' trust in the press will weaken if Haugan explains his meetings. If Haugan refuses to answer the court's questions, he risks a procedural fine.
Steiro has announced that VG will cover the costs. The specific nature of the meetings between Haugan and Lier-Hansen remains unclear, and it is unknown whether Haugan actually participated in all the dinners listed in the 147 receipts.