Almost Home Agreement Reached on SU and Kontanthjælp Reforms, and Growth Package Looks Likely to Pass 4
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Lockout passes fourth Uptight Swedes suddenly A new take on her week with no end in sight o ended by old book majesty’s pleasure 3 10 G3 26 April - 2 May 2013 | Vol 16 Issue 17 Denmark’s only English-language newspaper | cphpost.dk SCANPIX / ADSERSEN / SCANPIX TORKIL NEWS Superhighways can bring super savings, but will health benefi ts be countered by cheaper soft drinks? 5 NEWS New premier sets course Aleqa Hammond says that Greenland’s independence means taking advantage of its minerals 7 COMMUNITY Almost home Agreement reached on SU and kontanthjælp reforms, and growth package looks likely to pass 4 Who doesn’t want to work in the new UN City, a triumph for Dual citizenship looks likely to pass in parliament architecture and multiculturalism? 13 SIGRID NEERGAARD lowed in very few cases in Denmark. countries,” Ersbøll said. “A number of “We expect immigrants to integrate In certain circumstances, Danes can be countries, including Sweden and Fin- [in Denmark], but we prevent our own SPORT Panel discussion this week indicates born dual citizens, but they cannot go land, have changed their laws in this citizens from integrating [in other coun- on to obtain a second citizenship later millennium to allow dual citizenship.” tries],” she said. broad support for changing Danish in life without forfeiting their Danish Despite her organisation’s disap- The Stanley Cup sucks laws on dual citizenship, and a bill is citizenship. Likewise, foreigners want- pointment that the current govern- MPs positive but can’t say when expected later this spring ing a Danish passport must rst forfeit ment has been slow to move on this change will come e national ice hockey team will their original citizenship before becom- issue, Anne Marie Dalgaard, the execu- once again be missing most of its ENMARK is one of a hand- ing Danish. tive secretary of Danes Worldwide, said JØRGENSEN and Stampe both said NFL players at the world champs ful of EU member states that e panel’s main speaker, DIHR’s that she expects parliament to present that they are very open to the notion of does not allow dual citizenship, senior researcher Eva Ersbøll, said that a nal bill sometime this spring. She dual citizenship. ey predicted that a 14 but the Danish Institution for Denmark needs to get with the times said that not allowing dual citizenship bill would soon pass parliament, though HumanD Rights (DIHR), Danes World- when it comes to dual nationality. She is a big problem for the some 20,000 neither was able to provide a timeframe. wide and the dual citizenship campaign said that in today’s world, many peo- Danes who return to Denmark each “We are discussing the matter in group Statsborger.dk are all eager to see ple move between countries, and they year after living abroad. Venstre, and I hope that the overall at- Denmark get o the list. shouldn’t be forced to sacri ce their “ e largest immigrant group in titude will be positive,” Jørgensen said. Representatives of the three organi- identities in order to have a voice in Denmark is actually Danes who chose e party’s leader, former PM Lars sations held a panel discussion on Mon- their new homes. She also said it creates to return,” Dalgaard said to a laughing Løkke Rasmussen, has previously said day to assess their progress in the quest a number of problems that Denmark is crowd. According to Dalgaard, Danes that he is against allowing dual citizen- to get Denmark to change its stance on unlike so many of its European neigh- living abroad feel like they either have ship, and Jørgensen acknowledged that 9 771398 100009 dual citizenship. ey were joined by bours when it comes to dual citizenship. to give up their identity or never fully the issue is a complex one. Price: 25 DKK MPs Jan E Jørgensen (Venstre) and Ze- “I believe there is an interest in the integrate into their new country. “Some of the problems in allow- nia Stampe (Radikale). EU and the UN to have common rules She also thinks that Denmark’s Currently, dual citizenship is al- [about dual citizenship] in the member stance is hypocritical. Dual citizen continues on page 6 DO BRIC MARKETS DEFINE GLOBAL CONSUMPTION? LEARN HOW TO LEAD IN A NEW WORLD nordic food & cocktails in the meatpacking district WITH CBS EXECUTIVE MBA ... coctails & club Sign up for info meeting on 30 April on www.cbs.dk/emba happy hour & dj’s 10 pm fridays & saturdays ... www.karrierebar.com NEWS 6 THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK 26 April - 2 May 2013 Resistance to freedom of information act continues to build CHRISTIAN WENANDE EN ultimately weaken the demo- Bødskov took part in the S cratic process in Denmark. DR2 debate programme ‘Dead- More politicians join the protest “They are creating transpar- line 22.30’ last week on Sunday against the government’s plans ency at the edge of the political and defended the proposal, stat- sphere, but they are removing ing that it was acceptable that ØRGAARD LAR ØRGAARD to ratify a new less-democratic N S transparency at the centre, par- politicians are able to work in freedom of information act ticularly from the political pro- a space of confidentiality when cess, which is usually what mo- they discuss proposals, ideas and HE GOVERNMENT’S tivates people to get politically other unfinished material. plan to adopt a new free- JEN / SCANPIX active,” Højsted said. However, when the pro- dom of information act There are numerous exam- gramme’s host, Martin Krasnik, (offentlighedslov), which ples of journalists who have, repeatedly asked Bødskov to wouldT reduce the public’s right to thanks to documentation found provide a specific example to access governmental documents, via freedom of information illustrate his point that the of- could compromise Denmark’s requests, exposed politicians fentlighedslov would be of benefit reputation internationally. basing their arguments for po- to the democratic process, the The transparency watchdog litical initiatives on false factual justice minister was unable to Transparency International Dan- grounds, cooked figures or pre- provide a clear answer. mark (TI-DK) has argued that meditated ‘oversights’. The minister’s unconvincing the new offentlighedslov could “A new law that reduces performance in the debate pro- compromise Denmark’s favour- the public’s ability to hold the gramme was the latest inability able placement in the interna- government accountable ... is of the government to adequately tional transparency rankings. something we consider to be explain why the criticised chang- “A prospective ratification The justice minister, Morten Bødskov (S), continues to get grilled over the new proposal a dramatic step backwards for es to the law are needed. Last of the new offentlighedslov could Denmark,” Natascha Linn Felix, week, Jyllands-Posten newspaper negatively affect our position in sections 24 and 27, which have was expected to be one of the ity to fact-check laws, and this is a TI-DK board member, said in contacted 20 current and former international rankings. If the law concerned an increasing number party’s leading candidates in the going to diminish people’s demo- a press release. “We are very wor- ministers and asked them why is ratified as it stands, too much of critics who argue that the law local government elections in cratic commitment and spawn an ried about what is happening, some ministerial communica- will be left in the dark, and it would only serve to strengthen November. apathetic view of politics,” Højst- but it is very encouraging to see tion should be kept in the dark. is TI-DK’s fear that our strong the government at the expense Anders Højsted, a Radikale ed told The Copenhagen Post. the massive attention that the is- None of the ministers replied. integrity system will suffer. Fur- of the public. board member from the Nør- “The public will be less informed, sue has finally obtained.” thermore, the law will weaken the Last week, Mai-Britt rebro district in Copenhagen, the journalists will have a tougher But despite the surging op- media’s role as the fourth estate Schultz, the regional head for has vehemently opposed the of- time uncovering injustices, and position to the new act proposal, Threat to nation’s integrity and watchdog, which would be Radikale on Funen, and her fentlighedslov and strived to urge we’ll have a harder time figuring the justice minister, Morten a very unfortunate consequence,” deputy stepped down in pro- parliament members to recon- out who to vote for.” Bødskov (Socialdemokraterne), The deputy chair ofT ransparency TI-DK wrote in a press release. test against the proposal, adding sider the law. Højsted contended that the continues to stick to the govern- International Denmark warns There are two particular sec- more pressure on the govern- “What will happen is that the new law did contain some im- ment’s decision to create a space against the new offentlighedslov. tions of the new law proposal, ment to drop the law. Schultz Danish public will lose the abil- provements, but that it would of confidentiality for ministers. See page 8. of immigrants to the seminar, Dual citizen because he thinks that it is also Search for missing teenagers important to represent that side continued from front page EERGAARD of the issue. N “This law is not only relevant suspended after boat found ing dual citizenship include for Danish emigrants, but also SIGRID No trace of two 18-year-olds if it reveals any evidence about loyalty to the countries and for foreign immigrants who have missing since Monday what may have happened.