Dansk Folkeparti to pay over 200,000 kroner back to EU in wake of funding scandal

But the party still maintains it did nothing wrong as investigations continue

Oct 18, 2016

The right-wing party Dansk Folkeparti (DF) has decided to pay back as much as 300,000 kroner to the EU in the wake of the funding scandal that led to MEP Morten Messerschmidt stepping down as its head of affairs in the EU in August.

It has surfaced that the EU-sceptic party spent money allocated by the EU on its own summer meetings – political parties are not permitted to spend EU funds to campaign for a national party.

“We are going through all the documents and we will have an overview by the end of the week that we will present to the European Parliament on Monday,” Anders Vistisen, DF’s new EU head, told DR Nyheder.

“I won’t say anything more about specific amounts, but we want to make a clean cut. Should there be any doubt regarding specific expenses, DF will pay the money back.”

Investigations persist
Despite paying the funds back, DF rejects any notion of wrong-doing and still refuses to release the annexes pertaining to the case.

The scandal gathered momentum back in 2015 when it was revealed that Messerschmidt’s EU-sceptic alliance MELD had been given EU funding – some of which was spent on renting a 100-year-old boat for the party’s 10-day political summer cruise around Denmark.

This is against EU protocol and as a result OLAF, the EU’s anti-fraud unit, is investigating the case, as is DF.

TOP STORIES

Young Copenhageners supply study grants by selling cocaine

In recent years, the spread of cocaine has accelerated. The drug is easily accessible and not only reserved for wealthy party heads. Copenhagen Police have just arrested ten young people and charged them with reselling cocaine
5 Mistakes I Made When I Moved to Denmark

Here are five mistakes I made that helped me understand that belonging isn’t a strategy—it’s a practice. This isn’t a story of struggle—it’s a reflection on growth, told through the lens of emotional intelligence.
Analysis shows that many students from Bangladesh are enrolled in Danish universities

Earlier this year, the Danish government changed the law on access for people from third world countries to the Danish labor market. Yet, there may still be a shortcut that goes through universities
Danish Flower company accused of labor abuse in Türkiye

Queen Company, a Denmark-origin flower producer with pristine sustainability credentials, is under fire for alleged labor rights violations at its Turkish operation, located in Dikili, İzmir. Workers in the large greenhouse facility have been calling decent work conditions for weeks. The Copenhagen Post gathered testimonies from the workers to better understand the situation
Advice for expats: Navigating Life as an International in Denmark

Beginning this month, Expat Counselling will be contributing a monthly article to The Copenhagen Post, offering guidance, tools, and reflections on the emotional and social aspects of international life in Denmark. The first column is about Strategies for emotional resilience
New agreement criticized for not attracting enough internationals

Several mayors and business leaders across Denmark are not satisfied with the agreement that the government, the trade union movement and employers made last week. More internationals are needed than the agreement provides for

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Summer Greetings from
The Connect Club
☀️⛱️😎

Career

“It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

Describing herself as a “DEI poster child,” being queer, neurodivergent and an international in Denmark didn’t stop Laurence Paquette from climbing the infamous corporate ladder to become Marketing Vice President (VP) at Vestas. Arrived in 2006 from Quebec, Laurence Paquette unpacks the implications of exposing your true self at work, in a country that lets little leeway for individuality
Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

Agreement between unions and employers allows more foreign workers in Denmark under lower salary requirements, with new ID card rules and oversight to prevent social dumping and ensure fair conditions.
New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

Kadre Darman was founded this year to support foreign-trained healthcare professionals facing challenges with difficult authorisation processes, visa procedures, and language barriers, aiming to help them find jobs and contribute to Denmark’s healthcare system

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Jobs