The Week That Was, June 27th – July 3rd 2016
Politics/Economy
The Danish People’s Party (DPP) proposed that highly skilled immigrants should be required to pay for welfare services such as doctor appointments, schools, kindergartens, and hospital treatment.
During a personal visit to the Kærshovedgård exit refugee camp, Integration Minister Inger Støjberg’s told rejected asylum seekers they have no possibility of remaining in Denmark and should leave as soon as possible – only 52 people applied for asylum in this country the previous week, bringing the total for the year so far to 4,005.
The economy expanded more than initially estimated in the three months ended March – GDP for the first quarter was revised to a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent from 0.5 percent reported earlier. The IMF predicted the economy will grow by 1.3% this year, 1.6% in 2017.
The unemployment rate held steady for the third straight month in May, at 4.3%.
The government earmarked an extra DKK120m to increased surveillance of the Arctic.
Foreign Affairs/EU
At the first EU summit without Great Britain, Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen urged the remaining 27 members to come up with quick solutions to the migration crisis to sustain citizens’ confidence in the union – he also warned the ‘Brexit’ could be repeated in other countries unless the EU becomes more flexible. Ahead of the trip he vowed to resist the Danish People’s Party’s call for a ‘Danexit’ referendum – the PM said Britain’s exit ‘will echo for years to come and change the Europe as we know it’ but will have no influence on Denmark’s membership.
Danish EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager hit back at critics who have accused the Commission of being irresponsive to their concerns after the leader of Britain’s UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage, claimed Brexit would trigger a domino effect in which several Northern European countries would leave the EU, starting with Denmark.
Danish People’s Party leader Kristian Thulesen said the EU has the perfect opportunity to show its effectiveness in the midst of the turmoil surrounding Brexit by signing an agreement allowing Denmark to remain in Europol – the ruling Liberal Party’s EU spokesman claimed the government would call a new EU referendum early next year if Denmark fails to negotiate a parallel agreement on Europol before Christmas, but backed down the day after. Former foreign ministers rushed to the defence of Mogens Lykketoft who was hit with a political firestorm after calling British prime minister David Cameron ‘naive’ and ‘irresponsible’ for sanctioning the Brexit referendum
A new report by the Confederation of Danish Employers (DA) challenged the myth that Denmark is a ‘magnet’ for welfare tourists from poorer EU countries – compared to other EU countries, few migrants of working age (16-64) head for Denmark, and those who settle here have a slightly higher rate of employment than ethnic Danes.
President Vladimir Putin extended a Russian ban on food products from Western countries, including Danish pork – earlier this year Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen appealed to Russians to drop the boycott, which he called ‘pure harassment of Danish products’.
Mr Jensen, who was on an official trip to Turkey this week when terrorists bombed Istanbul Airport, said he was ‘furious and angry’ but, unfortunately, not surprised by the attack. The police stepped up security at Copenhagen Airport and train stations.
Iceland’s ambassador to Denmark, HE Benedikt Jónsson, predicted his country’s success at the European Championship in France will have a very positive effect on diplomacy between Copenhagen and Reykjavik.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Kristian Jensen presented a new strategy for Denmark’s engagement in Palestine and confirmed Denmark’s commitment to a two-state solution to the peace process.
Experts warned that Danish development aid to Africa and elsewhere could in the short term increase the migrant flow to Europe.
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Social Affairs
Copenhagen Police employed the controversial ‘jewellery law’ for the first time ever when they seized DKK79,000 in cash from five Iranian asylum seekers detained at Copenhagen airport for using forged documents.
A new Muslim-only high school set to open after the summer break, but which has already announced clothing restrictions on female students, a halal meat-only canteen, and a prayer room, was dismissed as a ‘disaster’ by the Danish People’s Party (DPP).
Refugees struggling to adapt to Denmark’s broad-minded attitude towards gender equality, sexuality, and other cultural issues will in future be able to download a smart-phone app with information about all aspects of Danish society.
Two freshly-trained sniffer dogs will soon be in action helping to find illegal mobile phones in Danish prisons.
The Danish Health Authority launched an unprecedented crackdown on smoking with a raft of proposals, including higher tobacco duty, neutral cigarette packets, and a ban on smoking in schools.
A majority of Danish voters believe it’s time to legalise cannabis – in a new Gallup poll 45% of respondents said personal use of cannabis should be allowed.
A Danish nurse was sentenced to life in prison for murdering three patients and trying to kill a fourth.
Business
Copenhagen Airport was again ranked the most efficient airport in Europe by the Air Transport Research Society (ATRS).
The Danish Bankers Association expressed hope that Copenhagen could be an attractive proposition for international banks looking to relocate from London after Britain quits the EU.
A.P. Moller-Maersk (APM) Chairman Michael Pram Rasmussen said the oil and shipping giant could be split up into separate companies after announcing Group CEO Nils Andersen is to be replaced by Søren Skou, current head of Maersk Line – the company is desperately searching for new acquisitions to steady its oil business after losing Qatar, its biggest field. Maersk Line, the world’s biggest container company, is relocating a major part of its Asia traffic from the Suez Canal to the newly-extended Panama Canal.
And That Was The Week That Was, June 27th – July 3rd 2016. To read all the above articles in full see: http://seven59.dk/archive (subscription required)