Controversial "hijab proposal" withdrawn

The Norway Post

Sat, 07-Mar-2009

Justice Minister Knut Storberget has decided to withdraw the proposal to permit Muslim women to wear hijab with the Norwegian police uniform. This follows increasing protests from the political opposition as well as from within the three government coalition parties and also the police

.

Making the announcement at a press conference, Storberget said he had decided to stop the process, after his department had earlier announced that it had accepted a proposal from the  Police Directorate to allow the hijab, in what they said was a move as part of a desire to secure broad recruitmet to the police.

Storberget refused to comment on his department's handling of the issue, but said he took the full responsibility for it.

However, according to Aftenposten, the Parliament's Control Committee will next week ask the Justice Minister to inform them of the total process