Norway’s prime minister keeps new office location secret

The location of Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s new office in Norway’s government quarter will remain undisclosed for security reasons, officials confirmed Monday as the building reopened nearly 15 years after the 2011 terror attack.

During a press visit, journalists were barred from photographing or describing the office’s exact location, Dagbladet reports. Anne Kristin Hjukse of the Prime Minister’s Office (SMK) stated that security concerns justified the secrecy.

Støre acknowledged the restrictions, calling them “unfortunate but necessary.”

“This reflects a societal development we must consider—it’s not about being difficult, but about ensuring safety,” he told reporters. He added that security experts’ assessments carry significant weight in such decisions.

The prime minister noted his new workspace would place him in closer proximity to cabinet colleagues, with Utenriksminister Espen Barth Eide’s office now just a two-minute walk away. Former prime ministers Kjell Magne Bondevik, Gro Harlem Brundtland, and Erna Solberg visited the reopened government quarter on Monday, while Jens Stoltenberg was abroad and Thorbjørn Jagland unavailable.

The government complex, heavily damaged in the 2011 bombing, has undergone extensive reconstruction. Security measures remain heightened, with some areas still lacking designated shelter rooms.