The Week That Was, January 10th – 16th 2021:
Coronavirus/ What happened last week:
Acting on recommendations from the Epedimy Commission the government lifted corona restrictions on the cultural sector from Sunday,16.1.22, allowing cinemas, theatres, concert halls, and museums to reopen.
The daily infection rate hit 26,000 by the end of the week, the highest ever, as was the percentage of those tested – more than 14%.
Despite the high rate of infection the number of people hospitalised remained stable – a sign, according to Professor Henrik Nielsen of Aalborg University Hospital, that pressure on the hospital system has ‘peaked’ – Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said the number of people needing hospital care is ‘flattening out’ and the epidemic is under control.
New data showed the excess mortality rate in Denmark since the start of the corona epidemic nearly two years ago – the number of deaths caused by other causes than corona, such as influenza – is actually less than the average of recent years.
More than 1 million people in this country have now been infected by the coronavirus – the milestone was reached after 24,343 cases were registered, Wednesday.
Denmark became the first country in Europe to offer a fourth dose of the Covid vaccine.
Politics/Economy:
Parties on both sides of the aisle called for ‘full disclosure’ from the government regarding the espionage scandal after it was revealed that Lars Findsen, head of the Military Intelligence Agency (FE) for the past six years, has been imprisoned since before Christmas on suspicion of leaking highly classified information – three days later former defence minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen was charged under the official secrets act for allegedly violating his oath of confidentiality by confirming the existence of a surveillance agreement between Denmark and the USA. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen brushed off concerns that the espionage scandal will negatively affect Denmark’s relationship with its allies but acknowledged it’s a ‘very serious issue’.
The PM made it very clear that the Social Democrats will campaign to remain in power as a 1-party government at the next election, even if it’s without the support of their close ally, the Social Liberals (Radikale) – in an interview with Politiken, Social Liberal leader Sofie Carsten Nielsen had warned she would only back a prime minister candidate that has a majority behind him, or her, and preferably a cross-party coalition,
Influential Danish People’s Party (DPP) founder Pia Kjærsgaard endorsed Morten Messerschmidt in his bid to replace Kristian Thulesen Dahl as leader and announced she will play a great role in party politics in the future.
Immigration Minister Mattias Tesfaye came under fire from MEPs when he defended Denmark’s hard-line Syria repatriation policy before the European Parliament’s Civil Liberty Committee in Brussels, Thursday. Dutch lawmaker Sophie in ‘t Veld asked: “How do you sleep at night?”
It’s estimated that the recent impeachment trial of former immigration minister Inger Støjberg could cost taxpayers up to DKK40m ($6m).
Despite concern that the rapid rise in inflation in the U.S. could spread to Denmark, consumer price inflation in this country slowed in December.
Foreign Affairs/EU:
A new Danish Intelligence (PET) report claimed the Russian embassy in Copenhagen employs a number of ‘intelligence agents’ who work under cover of being diplomats but whose real job is to recruit sources with access to secret and confidential information. It was also claimed that foreign intelligence services – including from China and Iran – have made contact with students, researchers and companies to gain information on Danish technology and research.
A suspected Nigerian pirate captured by the Danish frigate, the Esbern Snare, in the Gulf of Guinea in November was flown to Denmark and charged with the attempted manslaughter of Danish seamen – three other suspected Nigerian pirates who had been detained in custody on the frigate for the past seven weeks, and who faced the same charges, were freed and put to sea in a small dinghy with enough food and fuel for them to reach safely to shore.
Defence Minister Trine Bramsen discussed ’matters of mutual interest’ in a phone call with her Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, Monday, including ‘Russia’s recent aggressive and destabilizing actions in and around Ukraine.’
Denmark rose to joint 4th on the latest Henley Passport Index, a periodical ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa – Japan and Singapore tied for joint 1st.
Social Affairs:
The latest Statistics Denmark showed the number of jobless persons fell by 6,900 to 80,600 in November from 87,500 the preceding month, as the unemployment rate fell to 2.8%, the lowest since 1998.
Two Muslim women who refused to shake hands with men during a traineeship at a teacher training college were awarded DKK25,000 ($3,800) each in compensation by the Ligebehandlingsnævnet (Board of Equal Treatment) which ruled they had been discriminated against due to their religion.
13 people in this country were infected by a strain of deadly E.coli – nine people have been hospitalised and an elderly patient has died.
100,000 chickens were culled on a poultry farm in Jutland following the latest outbreak of the highly contagious H5N8 bird flu.
Every homeowner in this country became, on average, DKK231,000 richer in 2021 as the housing market continued to boom – 112,782 homes were sold last year, a five percent increase on 2020.
Business:
Almost one million passengers flew with SAS in December, an increase of more than 150% compared to the same month last year – there was more welcome news for the struggling airline when the airline was ranked among the safest in the world.
Shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk brought forward its target to become a net-zero emissions business forward 10 years, from 2050 to 2040, while the shipowners’ organisation, Danish Shipping, launched a new strategy aimed at speeding up the global green transition of shipping.
Danish equipment supplier Carsoe won a multi-million dollar contract with the Russian Fishery Company to upgrade processing vessels.