Lahnstein leaves Foreign Ministry
Norwegian Government relocates State Secretary – no longer responsible for Barents.
The relocation of Erik Lahnstein was announced Friday after the King in Council meeting. He is now State Secretary in the Ministry of Transportation and Communication.
Erik Lahnstein stayed two years as State Secretary in the Foreign Ministry. During the period he had special responsibility for the High North and Barents Region cooperation as well as European Affairs.
Erik Lahnstein was Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s fourth State Secretary since 2005 with responsibility for the Barents cooperation. Earlier Kjetil Skogrand, Liv Monica Stubholt and Elisabeth Walaas had the job.
The Foreign Ministry does not state if one of the two other State Secretaries in the Foreign Ministry will take over the responsibility for the Barents cooperation, or if a third one might be appointed later.
