Rasmussen pays for his daughter’s flights

‘Luxury Lars’ said he was unaware that climate organization paid the 27,000 kroner for his daughter to fly with him from Chicago to Rio de Janeiro and on to Copenhagen

Opposition leader Lars Løkke Rasmussen (V) has repaid the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) – which he chairs – for flights the organisation bought for his daughter.

Rasmussen spent 27,000 kroner of GGGI funds to fly his daughter with him from Chicago to Rio de Janeiro and on to Copenhagen last summer.

The former PM said he was only made aware that GGGI had paid for his daughter’s flights when the organisation collected and published his travel expenses as GGGI chair.

Media storm
Rasmussen was forced to release his expenses following revelations that he had spent almost 800,000 kroner flying first class for GGGI.

The rules were changed – limiting him to business class – before the media revelations, but he has apologised for overspending the organisation’s funds, a good portion of which come from the Danish government, before the rule change this summer.

READ MORE: Climate organisation's future uncertain after media frenzy

While the first-class flights exhibited bad judgement but didn’t break any rules, letting GGGI pay for his daughters flights seemed to many to be a clear abuse of power.

Rasmussen claims, however, that he never intended to let GGGI cover the cost of his daughter’s flights and said he has now paid back the organisation.

GGGI under scrutiny
GGGI was originally established as a South Korean NGO with the goal to create economic growth through green technology.

While Denmark has invested 90 million kroner into GGGI and has helped transform it into an international organisation, the organisation has been accused of corruption and wastefulness by South Korean state auditors.

Danish funding runs out at the end of 2013 and a report is currently being compiled that will help parliament decide whether to continue its support.

TOP STORIES

  • Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    After more than a decade living in Denmark, Russell shares why she made the move, how she’s coping, what she already misses, and the exciting new projects she’s working on. “It’s been a very tough decision. I love Denmark, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.

  • Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    The new Gefion AI supercomputer is one of the world’s fastest and will accelerate research and provide new opportunities in Danish academia and industry.

  • Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Experts believe it takes seven years to move into a new culture, according to leading Danish psychologist Jette Simon and therapist Vibeke Hartkorn. For expat couples, the challenges of starting a new life together in Denmark can put pressure on relationships, but emotions-focused therapy can help.

  • More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    Politicians debate a lot these days about when you can retire. The reality shows that an increasing number of Danes like to work, even if they can withdraw from the labor market. Financial incentives help.

  • Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Canadian-born environmental activist Paul Watson has been in prison in Greenland for almost 100 days awaiting an extradition decision for a 14-year-old offence against a Japanese whaling vessel that he calls a “minor misdemeanor”. The 73-year-old had previously passed through Ireland, Switzerland, Monaco, France and the USA without trouble, before Greenlandic police arrested him in July.

  • Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    When the Danish government in January presented the first of its schemes to make it easier to recruit foreign labour from outside the EU, it was hailed by the healthcare and service sectors as a timely and important policy shift. But while healthcare changes have been forthcoming, the service sector is still struggling, say the directors of the industry association Dansk Industri and one of the country’s largest private employers ISS.

Connect club

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

Sign up here

Career

  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs