Another storm threatens to engulf the newly assembled Danish government following the political and public backlash against plans to abolish one of the spring holidays.
READ MORE: Church, vocal minorities and academics oppose plans to abolish public holidays, but businesses are mostly in favor
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has been accused of going back on her promise before the election to prioritize the supply of clean and safe drinking water in her second term.
No mention of the safeguard was mentioned in the new government basis, although on 28 October all five left bloc parties pledged their support for the provision at a press event in a field at Slimminge Kildeplads between Køge and Ringsted.
“It is almost unbearable if we who are here today do not ensure that our children and grandchildren have the opportunity to drink clean water,” Frederiksen said at the time.
Future regulations to ensure clean drinking water included a pesticide ban on up to 200,000 hectares of agricultural land, according to the event.
Left bloc former allies horrified
Today, the government’s position has changed.
“Considerably more knowledge is needed about the exact need for groundwater protection,” it noted.
“The government will therefore initiate an investigation of the 640,000 hectares that are currently designated as action areas, with a view to protecting the drinking water.”
Several of the left bloc parties have complained, including Enhedslisten, which described the October 28 promise as an “obvious breach of promise” in a case that had “the support of a parliamentary majority”.
SF, meanwhile, said it was “deeply reprehensible”.
2022 the worst year ever for consumer confidence
Consumer confidence fell to new lows in 2022 according to Statistics Denmark, although the worst may be over, as the level in December is currently around -28.9 against -30.4 in November. Consumers are asked to rate their finances and outlook on a scale of -100 to 100, and in 2021 the average score over the entire year was -0.3. This year it has been -22.2.
Bunker leasing agreements are terminated throughout Denmark
Lease agreements for the rental of bunkers belonging to the Armed Forces are being terminated across the country, the ministry has confirmed to DR. Landsradioen highlighted one case: an ammunition bunker at Vestermarie Plantage on Bornholm, where local traders stored unsold fireworks. Their lease expires at the end of the year. “Although the probability of an enemy rolling up on Dueodde Strand is vanishingly small, we still have to prepare for the worst possible situation,” says Ulrik Skytte, who is commander at Almegard Barracks on Bornholm, to DR.
Odense super hospital delayed again and will cost more
Region Southern Denmark has confirmed that a new super hospital planned for southern Odense will again be delayed, this time by a year, and will cost an extra DKK 500 million. It blamed corona and inflation for the delay and price increase. The expenses for the hospital will now fall between DKK 8 and 9 billion. It should be ready by the end of 2025.
Debt collection agency criticized for failure to collect overdue child support
The Debt Agency, the debt collection agency, has been criticized by the Parliamentary Ombudsman for allowing many separated parents to fail to pay their share of the child support. The amount due is currently DKK 517 million – compared to DKK 238 million in 2018. “It is very unsatisfactory that the debt is growing,” said ombudsman Niels Fenger. “I recognize that the Debt Agency has focused on the problem for some years, but I must also state that it has not succeeded in reversing the trend.”
There will be more details about Bornholm arrests
Details are beginning to emerge about some low-key arrests on Bornholm in late October. A total of nine men aged 16 to 44 have been in custody ever since. The arrests followed the discovery of a gun on 10 October just south of Rønne, and it is believed that the nine men were planning a robbery.
Five years is the norm for causing death by reckless driving
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to five years in prison after his reckless drunken driving last October caused the death of a 26-year-old male passenger in Hjørring. The man was driving at 140 km/h on a road with an 80 km speed limit when he lost control. Three other passengers were seriously injured when the car overturned several times and hit some trees. The sentencing follows another five-year term handed down last week to a man who ran a red light while drunk and killed a pedestrian in Rødovre, a northern suburb of Copenhagen.
Islamic State’s mother gets four years
The High Court has approved a sentence of four years in prison for one of the notorious Islamic State mothers who returned to Denmark last year after heavy media focus. The Western High Court saw no reason to shorten the High Court’s sentence because the mother of five had already spent time in the al-Roj camp in Syria, which is classified as a prison camp. The 35-year-old was one of three mothers who returned to Denmark last October, where she was detained and her children in care. She was charged with promoting terror and staying in a conflict zone without permission from the Danish authorities.
The Faroe Islands hit by avalanches after heavy snowfall
Evacuation is underway in the Faroe Islands after heavy snowfall at the weekend followed by strong wind and rain that caused several avalanches. The Faroe Islands, which tend to have limited snowfall due to a moderate climate influenced by its proximity to the Gulf Stream, have many steep hills and mountains. So far, the police report four avalanches (primarily snow, gravel and water), road and tunnel closures and the evacuation of Klaksvig town. However, the temperature has since risen to 8 degrees, so no more snow is expected in the foreseeable future. The threat of avalanches remains.
Source: The Nordic Page