Today in Denmark: A round-up of the latest news on Wednesday
Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short round-up of the news in less than five minutes.
Government changes stance and will rescue Danish children from Syrian camps
The government last night said it plans to repatriate 14 Danish children and three of their mothers from two Kurdish-run prison camps in northeastern Syria, because of the poor conditions in which they are being held.
A report by a commission studying the conditions for repatriation was submitted to the government prior to the announcement. The two camps, al-Hol and al-Roj, house former Islamic State (Isis) militants and their sympathisers.
"The situation as regards humanitarian security in the camps has deteriorated. Particularly in the al-Hol camp, where there is a shortage of food and medical care," foreign minister Jeppe Kofod told a press briefing, reported by news wire AFP.
The decision appears to represent a significant climbdown by the government, which for a long time refused to countenance repatriating the children.
We’ll have more on this in a full report today.
READ ALSO:
- Denmark slammed by UN expert over children in Syrian camps
- Danish government ‘withheld security report’ on children in Syrian camps
- Danish prime minister changes stance on children in Syrian prison camps
New coronavirus compensation package to replace general support for businesses
A total of 1.65 billion kroner is to be spent on what has been termed a “summer and business package” aimed to help sectors including tourism and culture to get back on their feet following the coronavirus crisis.
A broad parliamentary majority approved the stimulus package following negotiations last night, with the Ministry of Finance subsequently confirming the deal.
General coronavirus compensation for businesses, which has been offered in some form throughout most of the pandemic, expires on July 1st and will be replaced by the new scheme aimed at particularly-affected businesses, the new agreement states.
Nurses’ strike on hold for now
A strike by nurses scheduled to begin at the end of this week has been put on hold.
The strike had been expected after a slim majority of union members in the Danish Nurses' Organization (Dansk Sygeplejeråd, DSR) last month voted to reject a new collective bargaining agreement over working terms.
But a proposal for mediation has automatically triggered a delay on the industrial action, news wire Ritzau reports.
The proposal comes from Forligsinstitutionen, a state organ which has the function of mediating in disputes between unions and employers.
You can read a little more background here and here on the Danish labour model which occasionally gives rise to strikes and lockouts.
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Government changes stance and will rescue Danish children from Syrian camps
The government last night said it plans to repatriate 14 Danish children and three of their mothers from two Kurdish-run prison camps in northeastern Syria, because of the poor conditions in which they are being held.
A report by a commission studying the conditions for repatriation was submitted to the government prior to the announcement. The two camps, al-Hol and al-Roj, house former Islamic State (Isis) militants and their sympathisers.
"The situation as regards humanitarian security in the camps has deteriorated. Particularly in the al-Hol camp, where there is a shortage of food and medical care," foreign minister Jeppe Kofod told a press briefing, reported by news wire AFP.
The decision appears to represent a significant climbdown by the government, which for a long time refused to countenance repatriating the children.
We’ll have more on this in a full report today.
READ ALSO:
- Denmark slammed by UN expert over children in Syrian camps
- Danish government ‘withheld security report’ on children in Syrian camps
- Danish prime minister changes stance on children in Syrian prison camps
New coronavirus compensation package to replace general support for businesses
A total of 1.65 billion kroner is to be spent on what has been termed a “summer and business package” aimed to help sectors including tourism and culture to get back on their feet following the coronavirus crisis.
A broad parliamentary majority approved the stimulus package following negotiations last night, with the Ministry of Finance subsequently confirming the deal.
General coronavirus compensation for businesses, which has been offered in some form throughout most of the pandemic, expires on July 1st and will be replaced by the new scheme aimed at particularly-affected businesses, the new agreement states.
Nurses’ strike on hold for now
A strike by nurses scheduled to begin at the end of this week has been put on hold.
The strike had been expected after a slim majority of union members in the Danish Nurses' Organization (Dansk Sygeplejeråd, DSR) last month voted to reject a new collective bargaining agreement over working terms.
But a proposal for mediation has automatically triggered a delay on the industrial action, news wire Ritzau reports.
The proposal comes from Forligsinstitutionen, a state organ which has the function of mediating in disputes between unions and employers.
You can read a little more background here and here on the Danish labour model which occasionally gives rise to strikes and lockouts.
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