Trucks block roads across Denmark
A planned demonstration against plans to introduce a kilometre-based road tax on heavy goods vehicles has resulted in trucks blocking several roads across Denmark this morning.
Although the demonstration was cancelled at the end of last week, it appears a significance number of drivers have gone ahead with plans to set up blockades on roads.
Large numbers of exits and sections are affected according to broadcaster DR, which is monitoring the situation.
In Jutland, sections of the E45 between Aalborg and Horsens, as well as the Aarhus-Herning road and the border with Germany, were reported blocked early on Monday. In Copenhagen, the M11 (Holbækmotorvejen) and 16 (Hillerødmotorvejen) were both reported to be affected.
The blockades can appear and disband at short notice, DR writes.
Vocabulary: blokade – blockade
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Police fine truck drivers over blockades
Many drivers began the protests last night, resulting in police in South Jutland ordering nine drivers to move their trucks, Southern Jutland Police said.
The drivers were issued orders just before 3am with police applying a section of the Danish law mandating they move their vehicles within 10 minutes.
The protests “cause for danger of considerable disruption of public order” police wrote in a statement.
Two drivers refused to comply with the order and were subsequently given fines under traffic laws.
Vocabulary: et påbud – an order (to do something)
Weather: downpours possible on Monday
After this weekend’s glorious sunny weather, Monday could bring some rain or thunderclouds and possible downpours.
Central Jutland appears to be most at risk of “cloudbursts”, DR reports, but heavy rain is possible all over the country.
A “cloudburst” is defined as 15 millimetres of rain within 30 minutes. Temperatures will be between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, lower on the coasts.
Vocabulary: skybrud – cloudburst/sudden downpour
Record immigration in first quarter of 2023
A record number of people immigrated to Denmark in the first three months of this year, according to Statistics Denmark figures reported by newspaper Berlingske.
Some 21,986 people moved to the country in the first quarter, while 11,506 left Denmark.
Businesses in Denmark have sought to attract foreign labour in recent times to fill vacancies.
The high figure for immigration was described as “super positive” by SMVdanmark, an interest organisation for small and medium sized companies.
“It makes it possible for businesses to take advantage of momentum in the economy, it pushes inflation down and it boosts public finances in times with hard demographic headwinds,” SMVdamark senior economist Thomas Gress told Berlingske.
Vocabulary: kvartal – quarter
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