Danish News Round-Up: Denmark and Greenland formally sign defence agreement

In other news, Denmark are knocked out of Eurovision, an armed robber is swiftly nicked, and some climate activists end up in the kind of sticky end they hadn’t expected

At Frederiksberg Castle yesterday, Denmark and Greenland formally signed a major defence deal agreed early last year.

It commits Denmark to spending 300 million kroner a year to support the ‘Arctic Capacity Package’, which will strengthen the military presence in and around the Arctic. It is timely, as sightings of unknown vessels have been increasing of late.

In total Denmark has earmarked 1.5 billion kroner in funding to the increased presence and improved monitoring of the region. It is thought drones will play a large role.

Greenland eyes hydrogen potential
In related news, Kalistat Lund, the island’s agriculture minister, has told Sermitsiaq.AG that Greenland intends to utliise large potential hydropower reserves to facilitate the development of hydrogen.

Much of the hydrogen will then be sold to the rest of the world: either as gas or fuel.

Licenses are already available to companies to exploit the potential in Tasersiaq and Tarsartuup Tasersua.


Eurovision drought continues: now four years since Denmark made the final
Denmark was knocked out of Eurovision last night, but few were surprised given the unappetising nature of the song the Danish public selected: ‘The Show’, which was the very last thing the all-girl band Reddi put on. The bookmakers rated them a 500/1 chance of upsetting the odds this Saturday and were duly vindicated when they were not included among the ten countries advancing from Tuesday’s semi-final. The second semi-final is on Thursday. At present, Ukraine are overwhelming favourites to triumph in Italy, where the hosts are a distant second in the betting, with the UK third – fanciful and more of a reflection that Britain is the home of many bookmaker firms and patriotic punters, as they normally always finish last. Denmark last appeared in the final of Eurovision in 2019.

A sticky end: but not the kind they envisaged
Climate activists tried to glue themselves to the road running past Axelborg yesterday lunchtime, but failed and were instead arrested. At around 12:30, several broke into the nearby of headquarters of Landbrug & Fødevare, the interest group for the agriculture and food industries. They managed to access a balcony and drape a huge banner onto the street below, but it was quickly removed, along with the activists. It is believed Animal Rebellion, a sister organisation of  Extinction Rebellion, was responsible for the protest. Around 100 activists were involved.

Police nick armed robber just six minutes after fleeing the scene
Somebody alert Guinness World Records because North Jutland Police were fast this morning – very fast. It took the police force just six minutes to track down an armed robber who successfully fled the scene of his crime at around 02:30. It probably helped the police’s cause that the fugitive, who robbed a 7-Eleven kiosk on Jomfru Ane Gade in Aalborg at knifepoint, fled by taxi. A fellow taxi driver saw the man get in and alerted the police, who were able to follow the taxi’s movements by video surveillance. The taxi was promptly stopped on Hjørringvej in Nørresundby, where the police were able to make an arrest and recover the money and knife used in the robbery.




  • Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    A Wall Street Journal article describes that the US will now begin spying in Greenland. This worries the Danish foreign minister, who wants an explanation from the US’s leading diplomat. Greenlandic politicians think that Trump’s actions increase the sense of insecurity

  • Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    What do King Frederik X, Queen Mary, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and Jaime Lannister have in common? No, this isn’t the start of a very specific Shakespeare-meets-HBO fanfiction — it was just Wednesday night in Denmark

  • Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    For many years, most young people in Denmark have preferred upper secondary school (Gymnasium). Approximately 20 percent of a year group chooses a vocational education. Four out of 10 young people drop out of a vocational education. A bunch of millions aims to change that

  • Beloved culture house saved from closure

    Beloved culture house saved from closure

    At the beginning of April, it was reported that Kapelvej 44, a popular community house situated in Nørrebro, was at risk of closing due to a loss of municipality funding

  • Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    With reforms to tighten the rules for foreigners in Denmark without legal residency, and the approval of a reception package for internationals working in the care sector, internationals have been under the spotlight this week. Mette Frederiksen spoke about both reforms yesterday.

  • Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Currently, around 170 people live on “tolerated stay” in Denmark, a status for people who cannot be deported but are denied residency and basic rights. As SOS Racisme draws a concerning picture of their living conditions in departure centers, such as Kærshovedgård, they also suggest it might be time for Denmark to reinvent its policies on deportation

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