The Week That Was, April 20th-26th 2020:
Coronavirus/ What happened last week:
The government expanded phase one of the reopening process on Monday, allowing hairdressers, physiotherapists, accountants, dentists, and other small businesses to reopen – the health authorities warned the rate of transmission of the coronavirus will gradually increase as small businesses go back to work.
Head of the National Serum Institute, Kåre Mølbak, said the public could be forced to accept social distancing for another year.
Health spokespersons for parties on both sides of the aisle came out against the authorities’ ‘corona testing chaos’ and contradictory statements that, they claim, has made it difficult for parliament to act – opposition leader Jacob Ellemann Jensen questioned the lack of a ‘comprehensive, long-term plan’ and noted the ‘widespread’ public uncertainty.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the ban on groups of more than 10 people will remain in place until May 10th but could be raised over the summer period depending upon the infection rate over the next few weeks – however no public gatherings will be allowed to exceed 500 people before September. The PM admitted that Denmark is vulnerable to pandemics because there’s no domestic production of vaccines or protective equipment.
A report by Politiken, based on WHO (World Health Organisation) data, showed Denmark, alongside Sweden and Belgium, are the only three countries in Western Europe that allow the families of persons infected by the corona virus to walk around freely in public.
Coronavirus testing centres, in the form of large, white tents, were set up near hospitals in Denmark’s five-biggest cites as part of the government’s new strategy to test every single person showing symptoms of infection.
The government extended the business aid package with an extra DKK100bn ($14 bn) but, to appease the Red/Green Alliance, inserted an amendment stating companies registered in tax haven countries will no longer be eligible for help, now totalling DKK400bn ($56bn).
Twice as many workers as expected have applied for wage compensation under the government’s financial aid plan to prevent businesses from firing staff due to the coronavirus lockdown – according to the Business Ministry, companies have applied for aid for 150,000 private sector jobs, twice as many as the government’s original estimate of 70,000.
The Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) warned the economy could suffer a DKK 190bn hit ($28 billion) this year as a result of a slowdown in economic activity.
Housing prices are starting to fall for the first time in over 10 years as the corana crisis hits the market – prices have decreased in seven out of 10 regions.
Immigration Minister Mattias Tesfaye warned Denmark’s Muslims not to let the month of Ramadan that got underway, Friday, lead to an ‘explosion’ in infections of the coronavirus – organisations and political parties joined together to call for a probe into whether immigrant communities in Denmark are being harder hit by the corona virus than ethnic Danes.
Foreign spouses and registered partners of Danish nationals will now be allowed to enter Denmark after the government eased admission restrictions.
Specialists at Hvidovre Hospital announced plans to start testing the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as an antibody to the corona virus, despite very negative results abroad.
Politics/ Economy:
The Tax Agency hired 250 new tax inspectors to live up to the government’s promise of ‘more control, less fraud’, a major element of the government’s 2023 tax reform programme.
Denmark’s consumer confidence declined sharply in April as households assessed the country’s financial situation poorly and were reluctant to buy, survey data from Statistics Denmark showed
Foreign Affairs/EU:
US Ambassador Carla Sands said the Danish government is ‘totally supportive’ of her country’s DKK83m ($12.1m) grant to Greenland and there’s no ‘hidden agenda’ behind the donation – the Danish People’s Party’s Søren Espersen denounced the aid as ‘insulting’ and the type of support ‘usually given to developing countries’ while the Socialist People’s Party’s Karsten Honge called the plan ’extremely provocative’ and an attempt to disrupt the island’s relationship with Denmark.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen again rejected any increase in the long-term budget when the 27 EU leaders met via video conference to discuss several proposals intended to stabilise the union’s economy.
Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod accused Russia of exploiting the corona crisis to pressurise Ukraine.
The police crackdown on pro-Tibet demonstrators during a Chinese state visit in 2012 has so far cost the state DKK22m ($3.2m).
63 Danes joined a class action lawsuit launched by the Austrian Consumer Protection Association (VSV) on behalf of 2,500 ski tourists against the authorities in ski resort Ischgl, who are accused of covering up the extent of the coronavirus outbreak and keeping open despite the risk to people.
The European Commission approved a Danish state guarantee of up to €137 million ($149 million) for Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), ruling that the funding is in line with EU state-aid rules.
Social Affairs:
Denmark has risen to 3rd spot in this year’s Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters without Borders (RSF), up two places on last year. 180 countries are ranked and the Nordic region dominates the top 4 – Norway leads the way, followed by Finland, Denmark, and Sweden.
The Institute for Human Rights (IHR) warned that an increasing number of bills put before parliament are a threat to civil liberties.
Police were called out, Monday, after banners wishing Adolf Hitler a happy birthday were hung from bridges over motorways throughout Denmark – the neo-Nazi Nordfront (Nordisk Resistance Movement/NRM) claimed responsibility.
Business:
Danish banks are bracing for massive losses in the second quarter as the Covid-19 crisis hits them harder than at any time during the financial crisis – Jyske Bank has already estimated its potential losses at 1 billion kroner.
Clean energy giant Vestas, the world’s largest wind turbine maker, announced plans to lay off around 400 employees, mostly in Denmark, and halt certain research and development projects with immediate effect.
Norwegian Air, which represents 18% off all air traffic at Copenhagen Airport, laid off 4,700 pilots and crew members, including more than 600 in this country, after declaring three Danish and one Swedish subsidiary bankrupt.
And That Was the Week That Was, April 20th – 26th 2020: To read all the above articles in full see: http://seven59.dk/archive (subscription required).