International Round-Up: Government backing for Belarus opposition

The Danish government has come out in strong support of those opposing Belarus’s government following the eastern European country’s general election earlier this month.

On Thursday, the foreign minister, Jeppe Kofod, will host a broad gathering of civil society organisations to discuss how best to support the national opposition and maintain international pressure on Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

Denmark’s government has set aside an initial 500,000 kroner to support journalists, human rights activists and victims of violence in Belarus.

Backing from fellow EU nations
EU nations, including Germany, have already said that they do not recognise the election result, which resulted in a landslide victory for Lukashenko.

The European Commission has already stated that it will “repurpose” millions of euros in aid and is considering additional sanctions.

Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who is exiled in Lithuania, has called on all EU nations to ramp up pressure on the regime.


Support for Balkan migrant project
Denmark is to provide financial support to a project seeking to allow would-be EU migrants in the Western Balkans to return to their home countries. Currently, thousands of migrants are stranded in nations such as Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia with little hope of entering the EU legally. The financial support is aimed at enabling them to return to their nations of origin –predominantly in the Middle East and Africa.  Denmark will donate 15.4 million kroner to the project, which is also supported by the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria as well as the European Commission. So far, the project has helped more than 1,500 migrants to return home voluntarily.

MobilePay finally reaches Greenland
The resolution of a longstanding technical issue means that Greenland’s 40,000 adult citizens can finally use the phone payment system MobilePay. Although it has been in use in Denmark since 2013, the extension of the app to the autonomous Arctic territory has been fraught by problems related to  Greenland’s unique country code and phone numbers. To activate MobilePay in Greenland, users must first link their Greenlandic phone number to a Danish number via a separate app. Developed by Danske Bank, the app allows payments to be made using a Danish phone number connected to a bank payment card.

Iceland COVID-19 advice change
The Foreign Ministry is advising against all unnecessary travel to Iceland. The new recommendations follow Iceland’s imposition of a new home quarantine requirement for all incoming travelers, including those from Denmark. Since Wednesday, all travellers arriving in Iceland have been tested for COVID-19 upon arrival and again after five days. All of them are required to isolate until the result of the second test is known. Estonia and Lithuania have also issued similar requirements for foreign travellers, and official Danish travel advice has changed as a result.

Five Bulgarians guilty of entry fraud
Three men and two women have been sentenced to two months in prison by Sonderborg Court after being found guilty of falsifying documents. The would-be entrants, all Bulgarian nationals, had presented false work certificates to border officials when attempting to enter Denmark from Germany in July. The defendants, who had all denied any wrongdoing, have also been banned from entering Denmark for the next six years.




  • The international who shaped Copenhagen

    The international who shaped Copenhagen

    Anna Maria Indrio is one of the most important architects in Denmark, having contributed to shaping Copenhagen into what it is today. Among her best-known projects are the extension of SMK and Arken, as well as the Natural History Museum and the Darwin Centre in London. She moved here 60 years ago, when “Copenhagen was gray and dormant. Predictions suggested it would become depopulated. But putting people at the center changed everything,” she said

  • Danish government passes amendment to increase citizenship fee by 50%

    Danish government passes amendment to increase citizenship fee by 50%

    Fees were raised to reflect processing costs and curb repeat applications, creating debate over whether the new charges erect barriers to political participation for internationals.

  • Internationals’ labour contributes 361 billion DKK to Denmark’s GDP, and it is growing strongly every year

    Internationals’ labour contributes 361 billion DKK to Denmark’s GDP, and it is growing strongly every year

    According to a report by the Danish Chamber of Commerce, internationals’ contribution is 12% of the country’s GDP. In 2023, it was 322 billion DKK, and in 2008, it was 136 billion DKK. “Internationals make a gigantic difference in our prosperity and welfare,” comments Morten Langager, the Director of Dansk Erhverv.

  • Inside Denmark’s innovation engine

    Inside Denmark’s innovation engine

    With half of its staff being international, the BioInnovation Institute reflects Denmark’s broader transformation into a global innovation hub. But can the country—and Europe—keep up the pace? “If reforms are made now, we can close the gap in ten years,” explains BII’s CEO

  • Denmark launches massive investment in the navy

    Denmark launches massive investment in the navy

    Two months ago, the Danish PM announced that military equipment should be purchased in a hurry. The first plans for the sea are now ready. Additional plans for warships will follow this summer.

  • International designers struggle to find jobs in Denmark

    International designers struggle to find jobs in Denmark

    Many internationals come to Denmark to work as designers, but the field appears to be one of the hardest to break into. The Copenhagen Post spoke with two internationals struggling to find their way into the industry.

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