Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
The resettlement of Ukrainian refugees in Bergen, changes to BankID and restrictions on ordering passports are among the news stories from Norway on Friday.
Bergen has yet to house any Ukrainian refugees
Bergen has yet to settle any of the 1,000 refugees it has agreed to house, newspaper Bergens Tidende writes.
The city's authorities have found around 600 homes to house refugees fleeing war in Ukraine.
"We think it's going to slow. Having as normal everyday life as possible is absolutely essential for the refugees. The settlement (of refugees) must take place faster," Pål Nesse, head of the Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers (NOAS), told the newspaper.
Around 1,000 refugees are living in temporary reception hotels.
Figures from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) have revealed that only around 3 percent of the refugees from Ukraine in Norway have been resettled.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Oslo Municipality was critical of the speed at which the authorities were finding a place for refugees to settle.
READ MORE: Why has Oslo taken in a low number of Ukrainian refugees?
Passport restrictions in place until summer to ease backlog
The Norwegian Police Directorate has introduced restrictions on the issuance of passports to try and reduce a growing backlog.
People are being asked to order a national order card that allows them to travel in the EEA rather than a passport if they will only be travelling within the EU/EEA. The measures will be in place until July.
"There is a great demand for passports, therefore, we encourage everyone who is only going to travel within the EU / EEA countries and Switzerland to choose a national ID card with the right to travel. If you only need identification, this is a very good alternative," Bjørn Vandvik from the Norwegian Police Directorate said in a statement.
READ ALSO: Long queues for Norwegian passports and ID cards due to production issues
BankID on mobile to be phased out
New technology will see the current BankID on mobile system phased out, public broadcaster NRK reports.
"BankID on mobile was a revolution when it came in 2009, but now people expect an even simpler BankID than they have today," Jan Bjerverd, from BankID Bank Axept, told NRK.
Moving forward, users will be able to use biometric login with their face or thumb. The new system will shorten the process of using the service from around 30 seconds to 10 seconds. The new service wasn't likely to be ready until next year.
Drought in southern Norway may lead to water-saving measures
The Norwegian Energy and Water Directorate has warned that the drought in south Norway could affect the water supply, and water-saving restrictions could be implemented as a result.
Little perception and high temperatures have led to low reservoir levels. This could have knock-on effects on power production, agriculture, and boat traffic.
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Bergen has yet to house any Ukrainian refugees
Bergen has yet to settle any of the 1,000 refugees it has agreed to house, newspaper Bergens Tidende writes.
The city's authorities have found around 600 homes to house refugees fleeing war in Ukraine.
"We think it's going to slow. Having as normal everyday life as possible is absolutely essential for the refugees. The settlement (of refugees) must take place faster," Pål Nesse, head of the Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers (NOAS), told the newspaper.
Around 1,000 refugees are living in temporary reception hotels.
Figures from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) have revealed that only around 3 percent of the refugees from Ukraine in Norway have been resettled.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Oslo Municipality was critical of the speed at which the authorities were finding a place for refugees to settle.
READ MORE: Why has Oslo taken in a low number of Ukrainian refugees?
Passport restrictions in place until summer to ease backlog
The Norwegian Police Directorate has introduced restrictions on the issuance of passports to try and reduce a growing backlog.
People are being asked to order a national order card that allows them to travel in the EEA rather than a passport if they will only be travelling within the EU/EEA. The measures will be in place until July.
"There is a great demand for passports, therefore, we encourage everyone who is only going to travel within the EU / EEA countries and Switzerland to choose a national ID card with the right to travel. If you only need identification, this is a very good alternative," Bjørn Vandvik from the Norwegian Police Directorate said in a statement.
READ ALSO: Long queues for Norwegian passports and ID cards due to production issues
BankID on mobile to be phased out
New technology will see the current BankID on mobile system phased out, public broadcaster NRK reports.
"BankID on mobile was a revolution when it came in 2009, but now people expect an even simpler BankID than they have today," Jan Bjerverd, from BankID Bank Axept, told NRK.
Moving forward, users will be able to use biometric login with their face or thumb. The new system will shorten the process of using the service from around 30 seconds to 10 seconds. The new service wasn't likely to be ready until next year.
Drought in southern Norway may lead to water-saving measures
The Norwegian Energy and Water Directorate has warned that the drought in south Norway could affect the water supply, and water-saving restrictions could be implemented as a result.
Little perception and high temperatures have led to low reservoir levels. This could have knock-on effects on power production, agriculture, and boat traffic.
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