Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Friday
Odense city government criticised over perks for officials, wolf zone could be extended and Russian diplomat reported to be intelligence officer. Here’s the news from Denmark on Friday.
Odense Municipality criticised over sponsored trips for officials
The Odense city government has spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ money in recent years sending senior officials on trips arranged by the city’s professional football club OB.
The municipality has approved 18 such trips since 2018 according to documents acquired by broadcaster DR through an access to documents request.
Odense Municipality is an official sponsor of the football club. The perks include gourmet restaurant visits, international football matches and business networking. According to DR, not all of the trips had work related elements.
A spokesman from the city council defended the value of the trips, but an expert on municipal issues at the Danish University of Media and Journalism, Roger Buch, said their “tourism element” was an issue, and could result in pushback on the municipality from parliament or other authorities.
The exact cost of the trips to the city of Odense is unclear.
Vocabulary: sponsorrejser – sponsored trips
Government to expand ‘wolf zone’ in bid to help farmers
The government plans to extend a “wolf zone” covering parts of the countryside within which farmers can apply for financial assistance installing fences to protect against the predatory animals.
Specifically, the decision would mean that, instead of being limited to defined areas of western and central Jutland, the whole of Jutland would be covered.
The proposal is included in the 2024 draft budget at a cost of five million kroner per year.
There were 32 wolf attacks on farm animals last year according to Environmental Agency figures. The attacks, mostly on sheep and lambs, killed 161 animals.
Torben Kousgaard, a farmer from Varde om the west coast of Jutland praised the initiative in comments to local media TV Syd.
“I think it’s a big step in the right direction that there will be money in the budget for the next four years for things like wolf fences,” he said.
Vocabulary: ulvezone – wolf zone
Diplomat in Denmark is ‘Russian intelligence officer’
An officer from the Russian intelligence agency GRU has been an official diplomat in Denmark since February this year, newspaper Dagbladet Information reports in partnership with Dutch media NRC.
The individual in question is Vladimir Grekov, who has been listed on the Danish foreign ministry’s diplomatic register since February 17th.
The report is based on leaked information from Russian registers that shows Grekov’s background as a senior GRU officer and soldier in the VDV special military unit, as well as on confirmation from intelligence sources.
In a written comment, the foreign ministry stated that it remains in Denmark’s interests to retain a diplomatic relationship with Russia and that a Danish attache remains in place in Moscow.
Vocabulary: diplomatiske forbindelser – diplomatic relations
Copenhagen keeps car-free and anti-crime nightlife zones
Copenhagen Police is to retain so-called ‘nightlife zones’, alongside a ban on driving in certain zones at night, until June 2025.
The limit on cars on narrow streets in areas thronging with bars and clubs was first introduced in June in a bid to crack down on nighttime public disturbances. It was set to expire this month but will now continue in the longer term.
People with certain types of convictions, such as violence or weapons possession, and bans from nightlife are not permitted within the zones or to visit bars or other establishments there between midnight and 5am.
Vocabulary: nattelivet – nightlife
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Odense Municipality criticised over sponsored trips for officials
The Odense city government has spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ money in recent years sending senior officials on trips arranged by the city’s professional football club OB.
The municipality has approved 18 such trips since 2018 according to documents acquired by broadcaster DR through an access to documents request.
Odense Municipality is an official sponsor of the football club. The perks include gourmet restaurant visits, international football matches and business networking. According to DR, not all of the trips had work related elements.
A spokesman from the city council defended the value of the trips, but an expert on municipal issues at the Danish University of Media and Journalism, Roger Buch, said their “tourism element” was an issue, and could result in pushback on the municipality from parliament or other authorities.
The exact cost of the trips to the city of Odense is unclear.
Vocabulary: sponsorrejser – sponsored trips
Government to expand ‘wolf zone’ in bid to help farmers
The government plans to extend a “wolf zone” covering parts of the countryside within which farmers can apply for financial assistance installing fences to protect against the predatory animals.
Specifically, the decision would mean that, instead of being limited to defined areas of western and central Jutland, the whole of Jutland would be covered.
The proposal is included in the 2024 draft budget at a cost of five million kroner per year.
There were 32 wolf attacks on farm animals last year according to Environmental Agency figures. The attacks, mostly on sheep and lambs, killed 161 animals.
Torben Kousgaard, a farmer from Varde om the west coast of Jutland praised the initiative in comments to local media TV Syd.
“I think it’s a big step in the right direction that there will be money in the budget for the next four years for things like wolf fences,” he said.
Vocabulary: ulvezone – wolf zone
Diplomat in Denmark is ‘Russian intelligence officer’
An officer from the Russian intelligence agency GRU has been an official diplomat in Denmark since February this year, newspaper Dagbladet Information reports in partnership with Dutch media NRC.
The individual in question is Vladimir Grekov, who has been listed on the Danish foreign ministry’s diplomatic register since February 17th.
The report is based on leaked information from Russian registers that shows Grekov’s background as a senior GRU officer and soldier in the VDV special military unit, as well as on confirmation from intelligence sources.
In a written comment, the foreign ministry stated that it remains in Denmark’s interests to retain a diplomatic relationship with Russia and that a Danish attache remains in place in Moscow.
Vocabulary: diplomatiske forbindelser – diplomatic relations
Copenhagen keeps car-free and anti-crime nightlife zones
Copenhagen Police is to retain so-called ‘nightlife zones’, alongside a ban on driving in certain zones at night, until June 2025.
The limit on cars on narrow streets in areas thronging with bars and clubs was first introduced in June in a bid to crack down on nighttime public disturbances. It was set to expire this month but will now continue in the longer term.
People with certain types of convictions, such as violence or weapons possession, and bans from nightlife are not permitted within the zones or to visit bars or other establishments there between midnight and 5am.
Vocabulary: nattelivet – nightlife
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