The Week That Was, October 30th – November 5th 2017       

Politics/Economy

The Auditor General warned of ‘serious gaps’ in the decision-making process behind Denmark’s planned purchase of 27 new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) jets, but Defence Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen dismissed claims the government’s expectations for the Danish Air Force’s new fleet of F-35 fighter jets are too optimistic.

The latest Norstat poll showed the two opposing parliamentary blocs are now virtually neck and neck, with 48.7% for the three coalition partners and the Danish People’s Party and 49.7% for the opposition – however, a new survey showed Social Democrat leader Mette Frederiksen is still seen as far more credible than Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.

The latest figures from the Tax Department (SKAT) showed private citizens’ collective debt, in the form of taxes, unpaid VAT, parking fines, child support etc. to public authorities rose to a record DKK 104.3bn (€13bn) in the second quarter of this year, a 3.5% increase.

Denmark’s foreign exchange reserves remained unchanged at DKK 464.3bn ($72.78 bn) in October, the seventh consecutive month in which reserves have remained largely steady.

The Danish People’s Party (DPP) called for ‘new strategies’ to ensure that refugees leave Denmark when the situation in their native country has stabilised – a leading DPP politician was reported to the police for ‘unlawful political involvement in a court trial’.

The New Conservatives (Nye Borgerlige) fired one of their leading candidates in the upcoming municipal election after he applauded Bangladesh’s plan to offer voluntary sterilisation to Rohingya refugees.

EU/Foreign Affairs:

Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the Nordic countries are facing their greatest threat since the Cold War – externally from Russia, internally from extremism and radicalisation. He also warned he will test the validity of the human rights convention when Denmark assumes the presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in two weeks’ time.

Russia’s ambassador to Denmark, Mikhail Valentinovich Vanin, accused former foreign minister, Uffe Ellemann-Jensen. of having a ‘selective memory’ regarding NATO’s promise not to expand eastwards.

Crown Prince Frederik denied he was conducting his own foreign policy when, as a member of the International Olympic Committee (OIC), he declined to vote for a resolution to exclude Russia from the 2016 Rio games.

The government will need to increase Denmark’s foreign aid commitment considerably after the OECD passed stringent new rules for what can be classified as official foreign aid spending.

Although the number of EU citizens with a voting card has risen by 32% since the 2013 election analysts expressed concern the overall voter turnout in municipal elections could be low as many foreigners have no interest in local elections.

Danish unions are pushing for new rules to stop eastern and southern European buses from transporting tourists around Copenhagen.

Energy Minister Lars Christian Lilleholt predicted that the planned 750 kilometre-long Viking Link between Denmark and Great Britain, the world’s longest underwater cable, will make green energy ‘the new bacon’ for Denmark, but experts expressed serious doubts about the financial viability of the DKK 11bn project.

Development Aid Minister Ulla Tørnæs called on the international community to give more support to Bangladesh to help tackle the Rohingya crisis.

The German North Channel Bank allegedly played a key role in the share dividend scandal in which the Danish Tax Authority (SKAT) was scammed out of a reported DKK12.3bn (nearly $2bn).

Social Affairs:

Christian Daily (Kristeligt Dagblad) reported how Hindholm STX, a private high school close to Næstved, south-west of Copenhagen, is owned by a foundation closely linked to the radical Milli Görüs movement, denounced as an Islamist organisation by Germany’s intelligence agency.

The Attorney General sanctioned the government’s move to outlaw the notorious street gang Loyal to Familia (LTF).

A new study showed how it’s become increasingly difficult for handicapped foreigners to gain Danish citizenship.

The housing market boom in Copenhagen hasn’t been replicated in the suburbs – while apartment prices in the capital have almost doubled over the past five years, house prices outside Copenhagen were close to unchanged or even declined.

Copenhagen Police said the cannabis trade is flourishing in the ‘free state’ of Christiania, just one year after residents tried to stop all sales following the shooting of two police officers – former cabinet minister Manu Sareen is suing the state because the legalisation of cannabis is progressing too slowly.

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Business:

Internal Danske Bank correspondence raised serious doubts about management’s accounts of the money-laundering affair – a letter obtained by Berlingske, sent by internal accountants to high-ranking members of the board, stated ‘the bank in all probability has willfully participated in money laundering or other types of financial crime.’

Denmark was ranked third on the World Bank’s latest Ease of Doing Business Index.

Maersk Drilling was awarded a contract by Nexen Petroleum U.K. for nine additional wells at the Buzzard field in the central North Sea.

Danish educational company Area9 Learning signed a long-term exclusive partnership to advance adaptive e-learning for corporations in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA).

Toy giant Lego is set to expand with a new Legoland amusement park north of New York City.

Carlsberg, the world’s 3rd-biggest brewery, said sales dropped slightly in the third quarter but still upgraded its full year outlook.

And That Was The Week That Was, October 30th – November 5th 2017: To read all the above articles in full see: http://seven59.dk/archive (subscription required)