According to a Politico article, Norway's northern region, located above the Arctic Circle, has asked the European Commission for permission to create a separate time zone with a 26-hour day. In a letter to the European Commission, which has been acknowledged, the region expressed its desire for the EU body to allow the Norwegian authorities to implement this idea instead of the traditional 24-hour time calculation.

The mayor of Vadsø, Venke Pedersen, told Politico that the initiative aims to promote local values, increase family time, and attract new residents to the region. However, Pedersen admitted that the details of the 26-hour day have not yet been worked out.

"The clock will be moved from 12 to 13... and we have to see how it will work. I don't think they (the European Commission - Ed.) will say yes, so we haven't thought through all the details yet", she said.

Mayor Vadsø also expressed hope that the increase in the length of the day would encourage people to move to the northernmost region of Norway, especially in the context of russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

"We like our lifestyle and we think it can be very interesting, especially for families with small children", the mayor said. "I think it's a more relaxed and better everyday life than, for example, in a big city".

Although Norway is not a member of the European Union, it is part of the European Economic Area. The European Commission told Politico that time zone issues are decided at the national level, so the EU is unlikely to be able to help with Vadsø's request. On April 5, Norway unveiled a new long-term defense plan amid the war in Ukraine.