Liberal Road Blog Individual Freedom and Equality

The decision of a Scandic hotel in Oslo, Norway to refuse to accommodate a Cuban tourism delegation has caused a major debate in Norway and other Scandinavian countries (source: Yahoo News). The hotel argues that it has to follow the laws of the United States concerning the embargo of Cuba, because the Scandic hotel group is nowadays owned by the American company Hilton.

This is an example of discrimination that should not happen. Accommodation is such a basic need that it’s completely unacceptable to deny it to anyone based on where they come from or what company or country they are representing. If all hotels in Oslo would follow the U.S. laws and the delegation had to sleep in the streets (supposing that the dedication would come anyway), would that be considered fair?

However there is one thing that we have to note: Cubans as private persons are welcome to Scandic hotels in Norway, only official representative are not welcome. This is comforting, but it doesn’t change the fact that the delegation should have been allowed to book rooms in the hotel even if it would have resulted in Scandic or its owner Hilton being fined in the United States.

Now Scandic risks fines in Norway as a police complain for illegal discrimination has been filed by Antirasistisk Senter (link in Norwegian), a center against racism. A trade union has also announced it will boycott Scandic hotels.

We can say that the legal situation for Scandic was not easy: risking fines in the United States or risking them in Norway.
A subject to be followed.

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