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TODAY IN DENMARK

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Tuesday

Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short roundup of the news in less than five minutes.

Published: 9 November 2021 09:36 CET
The coronapas is set for a comeback at Denmark's restaurants, bars and at large events, two months after earlier rules were lifted.
The coronapas is set for a comeback at Denmark's restaurants, bars and at large events, two months after earlier rules were lifted. Photo: Signe Goldmann/Ritzau Scanpix

Parliament committee likely to green light government call for coronapas

The government last night announced it wants to reintroduce rules requiring a valid coronapas (Covid-19 health pass) at bars, restaurants, nightclubs and large events, amid surging cases of the coronavirus in Denmark.

Covid-19 will again be classified as a critical threat to society, a status it had until September this year.

READ ALSO: Danish government confirms plan to reintroduce coronapas

Parliament’s epidemic committee is scheduled to meet this morning to discuss the issue. For the status of Covid-19 to be changed to critical, and for coronapas rules to be reimplemented, a majority in parliament must not oppose the change.

As such, the committee, which has representation from all of the parliamentary parties, has a key role in enabling the coronapas to be reinstated.

The government’s left wing allies – the Red Green Alliance, Social Liberal and Socialist People’s parties – confirmed late on Monday they backed the government’s intention to upgrade Covid-19 to “critical threat” status, meaning it will get the overall support of the committee barring unforeseen developments.

Majority support for the coronapas also looks a foregone conclusion, with the opposition Liberal (Venstre) party confirming to broadcaster DR it is in support of both decisions.

We’ll publish new articles with any developments on our website today.

Outdoor voting to be offered at local elections

Provisions to cast a ballot outdoors will be made available at next week’s municipal and regional elections for those who feel uncomfortable with doing so inside due to the current high incidence of Covid-19.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confirmed at a press briefing on Monday that outdoors voting would be offered at poll stations across the country for the November 16th elections.

She also said poll stations would ensure adequate cleaning and that hand sanitizer was available.

“You are also welcome to bring a facemask and your own pen, if you are most comfortable with this,” Frederiksen said.

Over 400,000 foreign nationals, including non-EU citizens, are eligible to vote in the local elections.

READ ALSO:

Exports hit record level in September

Exports of goods and services from Denmark were at their highest ever level in September and 4.6 percent higher than in August, according to new Statistics Denmark figures.

The transport sector, in which Maersk is a huge contributor to Danish export revenues, played a large role in the growth, news wire Ritzau reports.

Member comments

  1. please let parliament vote for the return of the coronapas, i know of a few people who frequent my local bar that hav`nt been vaccinated. dont get me wrong, i do believe this is the choice of each individual but i think common sense prevails here. after all it is fact that the vaccination does slow down the spread of covid 19…..

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TODAY IN DENMARK

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Thursday

Firefighters work to shore up burnt-out walls of old Stock Exchange, Great Belt Bridge traffic disruptions, world’s tallest wind turbine goes up in West Jutland and more news from Denmark on Thursday.

Published: 18 April 2024 08:02 CEST
Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Thursday

Fire services at Børsen taking things ‘one day at a time’ 

Firefighters still working to put out the remnants of the devastating blaze at Copenhagen’s old stock exchange Børsen say they are working on improving the stability of the centuries-old building’s outer walls.

“It’s very complicated work because the entire roof section of the scaffolding is now in a large pile with the copper roof, storey partitions, contents of the building and so on,” senior firefighter Frederik Ryber told broadcaster DR.

READ ALSO: IN PICS: What will it take to rebuild Copenhagen’s old stock exchange building?

The walls need to be stabilised before work to clear damage from the building can continue on Thursday.

Around 10 firefighters have continued to extinguish small fires and monitor for any outbreaks overnight as the fire services remain present as long as they are needed.

“We are taking it a day at a time,” Ryber said.

Vocabulary: stillads – scaffolding

Great Belt Bridge reopens after short traffic closure

The Great Belt Bridge between Zealand and Funen was briefly closed early this morning but traffic is now again crossing normally, operator Sund & Bælt said in a post on social media X.

The delay was caused by “diversion of traffic” and follows similar disruptions throughout this week with maintenance work ongoing on the crossing.

Drivers using the bridge during the night and early hours particular may see delays.

Vocabulary: vedligholdelse – maintenance

World’s tallest wind turbine erected in West Jutland

Yesterday saw a world record broken in West Jutlnd town Thyborøn as Vestas completed the installation of the world’s tallest land wind turbine, DR writes.

After the turbine machinery was affixed to the tower yesterday afternoon, the 15 megawatt construction reached a height of 266 meters – taller than the Great Belt Bridge.

Project leader Jens Jørgen Birch said there had been “no protests at all” from local residents opposing the turbine.

“It’s also now the fourth time we’ve erected wind turbines in the area,” he told DR.

Vocabulary: verdensrekord – world record

Public servants offered incentives to speed up mink compensation claims

Officials are to be offered a financial incentive as the government attempts to speed up mink fur farmers’ compensation cases, Minister of Transport Thomas Danielsen says.

Public servants who Work for at least 18 months in the government departments in the towns of Viborg, Aalborg, Vejle and Skanderborg, where the cases are bwing processed, can get paid an extra 5,000 kroner per month, Danielsen told DR.

READ ALSO: Denmark ejects mink breeders from compensation committees

“This should be seen as a temporary task to be completed,” Danielsen said

The transport minister is on the case because the so-called “Minksekretariat”, which is processing state compensation for the government’s 2020 decision to temporarily ban mink fur farming, comes under the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority (Trafikstyrelsen).

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