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Norway’s parliament, the Storting, opens public hearings today into ties between Norwegian officials and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store is among those set to testify. The Norway Epstein parliamentary hearings mark the most visible stage yet of an inquiry that began earlier this year. It followed newly released documents connected to the Epstein case that put Norwegian diplomats and politicians under scrutiny.
The Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs is running the inquiry. It is examining both the personal conduct of individual officials and how Norwegian state institutions responded once concerns about Epstein’s conduct became known.
Who testifies at the Norway Epstein parliamentary hearings
Committee adviser Kristian Haugeland confirmed a schedule for three witnesses on September 30. They are Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, former Foreign Minister Borge Brende, who held the post from 2013 to 2017, and former Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide. The committee scheduled a second round of testimony for October 1. Current Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and former Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt will appear that day.
That lineup spans more than a decade of Norwegian diplomacy. Norway’s current and several recent foreign ministers will all face questions from the same committee within a two-day span.
How the inquiry got here
The Storting voted earlier in 2026 to establish the commission. Al Jazeera described the trigger as a “political storm” set off by Epstein-related documents naming Norwegian diplomats and their associates. Norwegian authorities separately opened a probe into a diplomat and the diplomat’s husband over alleged Epstein links, according to earlier reporting on the case.
The hearings beginning this week mark a first. The prime minister and multiple former foreign ministers will answer questions on the record in the same forum, rather than through separate written statements or isolated media interviews.
What the committee is trying to establish
The inquiry goes beyond the conduct of any individual official. It is examining whether Norwegian state institutions acted appropriately once information about Epstein’s activities became available to them. That institutional question, rather than any single allegation against a named person, is what gives the hearings their broader political weight in Norway.
What happens after this week’s testimony
The committee has not announced when it expects to conclude its work or publish findings. Parliamentary inquiries of this kind in Norway typically continue gathering testimony and documentary evidence before issuing a public report. That process can extend well beyond the initial round of hearings. Norwegian media plan to cover each day of testimony closely, given the seniority of the officials involved.
Why this inquiry is being watched beyond Norway
Epstein-related parliamentary and government inquiries have surfaced in multiple countries in recent years. Norway’s hearings add to that pattern with a notably senior set of witnesses. A sitting prime minister testifying before a parliamentary committee on this subject is uncommon. The outcome could influence how other governments handle similar questions about official conduct connected to the Epstein case.
Norway is not alone in facing renewed scrutiny over Epstein-related connections. Legislatures and government bodies in several countries have opened their own reviews in recent years, as previously sealed documents and court records tied to the case have become public. What sets Norway’s inquiry apart is the seniority of those called to testify in a single, compressed window. A sitting prime minister and four current or former foreign ministers are all appearing before the same committee within two days.
How the hearings are expected to unfold
Committee hearings of this type in Norway are typically open to the public and broadcast. That gives Norwegian voters direct access to the testimony, rather than relying solely on official summaries or media reports. Committee members are expected to question each witness on two things: their personal knowledge of any contacts with Epstein or his associates, and decisions made within their ministries at the time. The witnesses span more than a decade of Norwegian foreign policy leadership. Their answers may reveal how much information about Epstein’s conduct was shared, or not shared, across successive governments.
Answers to key questions on the Epstein hearings
What are the Norway Epstein parliamentary hearings about?
A Storting committee is holding hearings on ties between Norwegian officials and diplomats and the late Jeffrey Epstein. It is also examining how Norwegian state institutions responded once concerns about his conduct emerged.
Is Norway’s prime minister actually testifying?
Yes. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store will testify on September 30, alongside former Foreign Ministers Borge Brende and Ine Eriksen Soreide.
Who testifies on October 1?
Current Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and former Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt will appear on October 1.
What triggered the inquiry?
The Storting voted to establish the commission after newly released Epstein-related documents named Norwegian diplomats and politicians. Al Jazeera described the fallout as a political storm in Norway.
Has any wrongdoing been confirmed?
No. No specific findings have come out publicly as of the start of this week’s hearings. The inquiry is still gathering testimony.
When will the inquiry conclude?
No end date has been set. Parliamentary inquiries of this scope typically continue for some time after initial hearings before a final report comes out.
Related world coverage
Reporting sources
- Caliber.az — Norway’s prime minister to testify in parliament over Epstein case. caliber.az
- Al Jazeera — Epstein files set off Norwegian political storm: What we know. aljazeera.com
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