Today's Denmark News Roundup: Special Report on Tuesday's Headlines
Denmark's Latest Developments
In Denmark today, companies cut ties with a deportation center, cities are ditching Microsoft in response to political tensions, and the jacket thrown with paint on former PM Fogh Rasmussen is going to a museum.
Ghosted by Partners: The Ellebæk Departure Center
Two companies, Stelton and San Pellegrino, have ended their partnerships with the Ellebæk Departure Centre. This comes after a report by Dagbladet Information, revealing how asylum seekers detained at Ellebæk work for measly wages to operate the center's payphone. Some of the work was done on contract for private companies, who paid rates similar to the Danish market, but kept salaries as low as six kroner (about $0.90 USD) per hour. With half their wages going toward their future deportation costs, this money proves essential for maintaining contact with the outside world. Jens Beyer, the director of Premium Acqua, said, "We simply didn't know the working conditions at Ellebæk were structured in that way."
Leave it Behind: Danish Cities and Microsoft
Cities of Copenhagen and Aarhus have chosen to phase out Microsoft as their IT provider, fearing potential complications due to the current geopolitical climate and US president Donald Trump. This decision is motivated by concerns over dependencies on a near-monopoly and the future of communication if relations between the US and Denmark should sour. The risk of losing access to vital systems if tensions escalate is real, as elected official Henrik Appel Espersen comments, "If, theoretically, relations with the US were to deteriorate, you could be concerned that Microsoft would be forced to shut everything down."
Preserve a Part of History: Fogh's Painted Suit
The suit worn by former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen during the 2003 parliament meeting, when a protestor threw red paint over him, will be added to Denmark's National Museum collection. This iconic piece of Danish political history, stemming from a protest against Denmark's involvement in the US-led war in Iraq, will serve as a poignant reminder of the momentous changes to security arrangements at Christiansborg and the impact it had on Danish political history.
Insufficient NATO Defense Commitments, Frederiksen Says
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen shared her concerns with regional allies during a meeting in Lithuania this week. Specifically, Frederiksen questioned the timeline proposed by NATO for defense spending increases, as demanded by US President Donald Trump, suggesting that the 2032 target would come "too late."
In the context of Denmark's latest developments, there is a growing distance between certain companies and the Ellebæk Departure Centre, with Stelton and San Pellegrino ending their partnerships due to the revelation of exploitative working conditions for asylum seekers (news). Meanwhile, cities like Copenhagen and Aarhus are phasing out Microsoft as their IT provider, a response to geopolitical tensions and fears of potential complications with the US (policy-and-legislation). As for general news, the jacket thrown with paint on former PM Fogh Rasmussen is being preserved in Denmark's National Museum, becoming a symbol of an iconic moment in Danish political history.
