Berlingske reports that the government’s planned relocation of government agencies out of Copenhagen could prove to be a more expensive undertaking than was originally thought.

The government originally set aside 400 million kroner for the relocation of 3,900 jobs. However, if the costs involved in relocating the environment and food agency, NaturErhvervstyrelsen, are anything to go by, the total expenses are going to be a lot bigger.

It has been calculated that moving the agency’s 392 jobs from the capital to southern Jutland will cost 184 million kroner between 2016 to 2019 and then a further 30 million kroner per year from 2019 for as long as the organisation maintains two premises during the transition.

What’s more, only 15 percent of NaturErhvervstyrelsen’s employees are expected to follow their jobs, which will incur even more costs.

Minister: it’s worth it
Eva Kjer Hansen, the environment and food minister, said the figures were still very preliminary, but that the goal of redistributing government jobs was worth the price tag.

“We’re talking about a lot of jobs, and therefore the numbers will be relatively high. I’m quite aware that it’s not free to move government jobs out. There are economic expenses. But it is a political priority, as we want it to be,” she said.

“I think it is completely worth it. For me it’s about ensuring public sector jobs across the whole country.”