Statement on the death of Professor Kristen Nygaard, Oslo, Norway:

Nygaard´s work will continue to
inspire the EU-critical movement

Professor Kristen Nygaard died suddenly on Friday 9 August 2002 aged seventy-five years. Kristen Nygaard was a central person for the EU-critical movement, both in his home country and in Europe as a whole. He was more than anyone else responsible for Norway´s No to EU-membership in the second referendum in 1994.

It was wonderful to exerience Norway´s No-victory after the recent defeat in the Swedish referendum, in which I chaired the No-side. We had a lot of contact during the years before and after the referendum in 1994. Kristen - with his extensive knowledge and unique talents for networking - learned me a lot about organizing campaigns and political strategy.

Kristen Nygaard was the strategic force behind the creation of The European Anti-Maastricht Alliance, TEAM, in Edinburgh in December 1992. Here over 100 EU-critics across Europe met to discuss the need of a closer cooperation in the future. Kristen came up with the name for our network and also proposed the Constitution.

Kristen Nygaard was an indefatigable fighter which we would have needed in our work for many more years. Even though Kristen is no longer with us, he will be a living memory for democrats fighting against the emerging federal EU State. His work will continue to inspire TEAM´s affiliates and other EU-critical movement across Europe.

I wish to, on behalf of TEAM, to extend our condolences to the Norwegian No to EU-movement, to all Norwegian democrats and to Kristen Nygaard´s wife and family.

Hans Lindqvist
Coordinator of TEAM

The burial was held on Tuesday 20 August at 14.30 pm i Oslo.

Secretary General: Henrik Dahlsson
E-mail: hdahlsson@europarl.eu.int
Address: TEAM, The European Parliament, Rue Wiertz 2H 246, 1047 Brussels, Belgium
Phone: +32-(0)2 284 65 67 Fax: +32 (0)2 284 9144