Denmark has stolen children from their foreigner parents

Friday, December 21, 2012

Corruption in Denmark



Challenges

 

Political and campaign financing

Denmark lacks transparency in private contributions to political parties and parliamentary candidates. The opaque environment thrives from inadequate legislation that enables weak public disclosure. Private donations above 20,000 DKR (US$3,609) must disclose the donor’s name – however, not the amount given. In addition, individuals can remain anonymous if they donate through affiliated foundations. This loophole also exists if private donations are given in increments of less than 20,000 DKR.
Political donations and gifts also lack strong regulations. The grey area surrounding the receiving of gifts has yet to be adequately defined. The Danish media have accused top officials and Members of Parliament (MPs) of attending undisclosed trips, concerts and dinners, paid for by private contractors.

Access to information

Denmark’s access to information law is outdated. The wide range of ‘exceptional case’ provisions enables public bodies to deny access to information or to delay legitimate enquiries. At the same time, several studies show that current right to information legislation is not respected in practice. Deadlines for applicants’ requests for information are only met in half of the cases and only 30% of requests for information to the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Justice are completed in the required 10-day deadline.
Public and private sector executives’ limited understanding of their obligation to disclose information to the public leads to major weaknesses in accountability.

Whistleblower protection

Denmark does not have a dedicated whistleblower protection law or regulation.  There is also no dedicated whistleblowing body to advise and protect whistleblowers. Instead, the Danish labour market has been regulated by voluntary agreements on pay and working conditions between employees and their organisations, otherwise known as the Danish Labour Market Model.
The laws on citizens’ freedom of speech and employees’ right and duty to inform the public on irregularities are fragmented. These laws are scarce and the case law is limited. And although public employees’ freedom of speech is generally considered to be better protected legally than their counterparts in the private sector, whistleblowing bodies and support are more advanced in the private sector.


Positive developments

 

Transparency in politics

In 2009 Parliament introduced the Openness Scheme, which aims to improve the transparency of MPs’ expenses and activities. It provides an agreement between a broad range of political parties that MPs must publish information on their monthly spending, activities in entertainment, travel expenses, received gifts, official representations, and prospective official activities.
Together with the Code of Good Practice in the Public Service, the new transparency mechanism aims to ensure effective monitoring of MPs’ conduct and use of public resources.

 

Open government

Denmark is a participating country in the Open Government Partnership. The initiative’s aim is to promote good governance and to strengthen democracy. As a participant, Denmark commits itself to modernising the public sector and improving the management of public resources. This is done by increasing, among others: transparency in public decision processes, anti-corruption and accountability mechanisms, citizen participation, and dialogue with civil society.
A key driver is the utilisation of new technologies and media so that government information and technology is available to citizens and businesses. In effect, the government aims to address citizens’ needs and concerns.

 

Corporate responsibility

A new mediation and complaints institution for corporate responsibility was adopted by Danish parliament. This independent body has the mandate to investigate corruption allegations and make recommendations to ensure compliance. The OECD also notably welcomed the creation of the institution.
The formation of the institution was part of the government’s 2012-2015 Action Plan for Corporate Social Responsibility. In it, the government recognises the need for increased efforts to promote Danish companies' global accountability to labor and human rights, international environmental standards and the fight against corruption. 

 From Transparency International



Sunday, November 25, 2012

In memory of Philip Jones

Already 3 years gone...
Philip Jones, one of the outstanding critics of the NWO died November 24, 2009. He fell ill in Sept 2009 and suspected an ex-girlfriend  of poisoning him. He was dependent on the Danish health care system, a precarious position given essays like this one from July 2008, a reminder of why we miss him dearly.

With sadness I have to inform that Philip Jones quietly and peaceful passed away this morning [nov. 24th 2009] at Odense University Hospital, Denmark. He had stomach cancer.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Quickies

1. Miscommunication leads to green card seeker’s deportation (Copenhagen Post)

2. Dansk statsborgerskab trumfer barnets bedste (Metroxpress in danish)

3. Voldelig far får fuld forældremyndighed (Metroxpress in danish)

4. Dommer: Oliver skal bo hos sin far (Politiken)

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Secretele vikingilor războinici

În vremuri îndepărtate, vikingii au fost cei mai temuţi războinici din Europa, cunoscuţi pentru îndârjirea, curajul şi cruzimea lor. De 1.200 de ani, sunt faimoşi pentru setea lor de sânge, pentru barbarie, iar cronicile vorbesc despre un popor păgân, care călca totul în picioare.
Dar este acesata adevărul? Oamenii de ştiinţă şi istoricii intervievaţi în acest film documentar scot la iveală o faţă nevăzută a acestui popor scandinav, care va schimba pentru totdeauna percepţia noastră asupra lor. Cercetătorii şi arheologii încep să descopere despre vikingi că foloseau o tehnologie ultramodernă pentru a construi faimoasele nave cu care cutreierau mările şi oceanele lumii.
Se pare că scandinavii nu au fost o societate primitivă, ci dimpotrivă, una foarte complexă. Află din acest film documentar secretele din spatele victoriilor acestui popor din Peninsula Scandinavă, tehnologia de mult uitată a armelor vikingilor.


[Articolul este corectat în urma comentariului]

Saturday, September 01, 2012

Government proposes cutting back Danish classes for foreigners

High dropout rate has leaders considering less funding for immigrants to learn Danish

In its recently-released budget proposal, the government said it wanted to cut 200 million kroner from the funds available to language centres that teach Danish to adult foreigners. The proposed cuts amount to 15 percent of the total budget.

The government pointed to the high dropout rate as one of the reasons that the cuts should be made. About 30 percent of students who start Danish classes drop out before they finish, according to reports. [...]

Schmidt-Nielsen said that learning Danish is a vital skill for immigrants and that Enhedslisten would work to see the proposed cuts dropped from the government’s budget.

“It is extremely difficult to cope in Denmark if you do not speak the language,” she said.

More at The Copenhagen Post with comments

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Helle unfriended

A leader falls abruptly from grace

WHEN Helle Thorning-Schmidt addressed the European Parliament on July 3rd to mark the end of Denmark’s six-month stint in the European Union’s presidency, her words fell on many empty seats. [...]
The Danish prime minister’s words to the press betrayed a little pique. “Why is everybody so keen to play down the results of the last six months?” she demanded. She had in mind deals on growth, jobs, energy efficiency and patents. Given the low expectations of her presidency, such umbrage is understandable.  [...]
Yet however unappreciated Ms Thorning-Schmidt feels in Europe, her real troubles are at home. A YouGov opinion poll for metroXpress newspaper gives her Social Democrats their lowest rating in over a century: 16.1%, a plunge from the 24.8% they took last September. [...]
Denmark is in better shape than the rest of the EU. Unemployment is officially 6.2%, against a euro-zone average of 11.1%; GDP edged out of a technical recession with a 0.4% jump in the first quarter. [...]
The budget deficit of 1.8% of GDP also compares favourably with much of Europe, but Denmark’s public spending (the highest in the EU as a share of GDP) must be cut because of demographic change. The government and opposition agree that the welfare state needs tweaking. Ms Thorning-Schmidt has set about reform with zeal. But she has alienated a good chunk of her supporters by agreeing on a tax package with the centre-right.
This will reduce the tax burden on average earners by raising the threshold for the top tax bracket; increase tax credits for those with jobs; and cut corporate taxes. These measures are to be paid for in part by reducing old-age pensions and unemployment benefits. [...]
The jilted left has now denounced the government. If Ms Thorning-Schmidt expects their votes to keep her in power, she will have to come up with some rewards, say the leftists. With a sense of betrayal also spreading among her own voters, the prime minister may struggle merely to complete the full four years of her term.

Photo and text from The Economist

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Quickies

1. Demolition of skyscrapers in Rødovre, near Copenhagen (video

1. Attack of the killer algae: Danish beaches hit by carnivorous creatures that eat animals up to 10,000 times its size (Daily Mail)

1. Can a foreigner ever become a Dane? (Copenhagen Post)

2. Aarhus airport accused of discrimination (Copenhagen Post)

3. Permanent residency rules changed June 1, 2012 (borger.dk) – link in danish

4. Are Denmark's renewable energy goals wishful thinking? (BBC)

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Quickies

1. Protest against ACTA in Aalborg - Denmark (febr. 25th 2012) (Demotix)

2. Has Denmark run out of TV actors? (The Guardian)

3. What Britain could learn from Denmark's childcare model (The Guardian)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Grooveshark to be censored in Denmark

A group of more than 30 rightsholders have won their case targeted against Grooveshark in Denmark. A court agreed that both the streaming music service and its users infringe recording label copyrights and granted an injunction forcing an ISP to initiate a block of the service. The anti-piracy group behind the action hopes that other ISPs will now follow suit.

Last year, a group of entertainment companies known collectively as RettighedsAlliancen sent a demand to the Danish Bailiff Court (known locally as Fogedretten) to have the country’s Internet service providers block US-based streaming music service Grooveshark.
RettighedsAlliancen chief Maria Fredenslund said that Grooveshark had no content agreements or licenses with members of her group, accused the service of being “completely uncooperative” in negotiations, and that effectively taking down content from Grooveshark had proven impossible.
The resulting legal action was directed “randomly” at telecoms company ’3′ with a complaint that the ISP’s customers breach copyright and as their supplier they are contributing to infringements.

Based on the Danish implementation of the Infosoc Directive, the court ordered an immediate injunction against ’3′ which prohibits it from facilitating subscriber access to Grooveshark.
“Grooveshark is an illegal site, which is really big and popular. But they have a business model that is based on trickery and fraud,” said RettighedsAlliancen chief Maria Fredenslund commenting on the news.

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