The Copenhagen Post, June 03-09 by The Copenhagen Post

DANISH NEWS IN ENGLISH VOL 19 ISSUE 21

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This issue will hit streets sparkling clean thanks to the clean-up efforts of the Distortion street parties. But are all their other efforts paying off for the future? 2

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CPHPOST.DK 3 - 9 June 2016

NEWS When it’s skin-flauntingly warm, it’s too hot for some to handle 3 BUSINESS

No more time extensions!

TURNI NG DANISH – I REALLY THINK SO

The days of waiting forever for planning permission are over

Denmark among most competitive nations in the world Nations rises two spots to number six, despite being the worst for tax CHRISTIAN WENANDE

CAREERS ADVICE In the Green Card Scheme fallout, where are all the Danes?

COMMUNITY

Kindred spirits Hard not to feel at home in the Italy of the North

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lowed by Switzerland, the US, Singapore and Sweden. Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada completed the top 10.

best according to the report, and we have good reason to be happy about the Danish authorities in a number of areas, including environment, health and justice,” said Kent Damsgaard, the deputy head of industry advocate organisation Dansk Industri.

was ranked the least competitive in the world. Damsgaard contended that low growth, slow productivity growth and a difficulty attracting investment from abroad continue to stifle proceedings, as does the ability to recruit the required workers. “It’s good that we are ranked so high in a number of parameters, but a chain is never stronger than its weakest link,” said Damsgaard.

ENMARK has moved up two spots to sixth in the new edition of the Year Competitiveness Yearbook for 2016 published by the Swiss business school IMD. China/Hong Kong was ranked the most competitive nation, fol-

Good leadership PART OF the success has been attributed to Danish company leadership being rated the best in the world, while high taxes prevent an even better placement in the index. “Danish companies’ leadership practice is among the world’s

Denmark “anti-Russian”

Couldn’t be sounder, Odder Sixth border extension

Stiffer rape penalties

RUSSIAN ambassador Mikhail Vanin has once again suggested that Danish hostility towards his home country is misplaced. Vanin, who last year suggested Danish warships could be nuked, told Politiken that Denmark “is always leading the way in every anti-Russian campaign”. Denmark plans to station 150 troops in Estonia to beef up NATO’s defence against Russia.

A GROUP of friends from Odder, Jutland have gone viral after helping their wheelchairbound handicapped friend scale the highest peak in northern Europe. Jacob Riis-Nielsen, 15, has cerebral atrophy, which means he can barely move. Nevertheless, his friends carried him all the way up the 2,468-metre Galdhøpiggen mountain in Norway.

CONVICTED rapists face stiffer penalties following Parliament’s approval of a bill to lengthen the standard sentence by 12 months to three and a half years. However, there was some opposition to the bill because it also included provisions to increase punishments for those who make false rape accusations. Many fear it will lead to fewer victims coming forward.

denmarks largest carsharing provider Free registration

High tax hindrance THE AREAS that hamper Denmark from performing even better on the index include its heavy tax burden, for which it

DENMARK has extended its temporary border controls with Germany for a sixth time – on this occasion until November 12, the immigration minister, Inger Støjberg, confirmed on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Støjberg has been accused of misleading Parliament on the amount of Danish development funding being spent on asylum expenditure.

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NEWS

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Distortion royally pleased then peeved

ONLINE THIS WEEK A TASK Force Pusher Street operation targeting cannabis smokers in Christiania on Monday charged 90 people with possession and a further 40 with driving under the influence. Copenhagen Police said the arrests were a clear warning to people who drive after smoking a joint. “That is a really bad idea,” it said.

THORBJØRN FESSEL / DISTORTION

Cannabis crackdown

3 - 9 June 2016

New university square

Police relocation bonuses

Refugees cross bridge FIVE TEENAGE refugees walked across the Øresund Bridge to Sweden on May 12, the Swedish police have confirmed. They were met on the Swedish side and taken to the immigration authorities. Southern Swedish Police criticised their Danish counterparts, saying it was their responsibility to stop them. Some 55 people have already tried crossing by foot this year.

Could these be the warmest ever Distortion street parties?

Party organiser delighted with brewer, but uberannoyed with City Hall

T THE TIME of going to press, it looked a safe bet that the Distortion festival – which started on Wednesday with its first city district party, ahead of taking over Vesterbro on Thursday – will reclaim the streets next year.

At the beginning of April, Distortion had been less hopeful, warning that would need to sell 10,000 of its 100 kroner voluntary donation wristbands to afford the street parties next year. But late last week, a saviour surfaced. The brewing company Royal bought 4,000, and Distortion founder Thomas Fleurquin was quick to confirm that the

Uber frowned upon HOWEVER, it’s not all been good news for Distortion, as a political majority in Copenhagen wants to pull 70,000 kroner in financial support due to its association with Uber – the equivalent of 700 wristbands. “It is a problem if municipal

support goes to an organisation that works with Uber,” Socialdemokraterne councillor Niels E Bjerrum told DR. “It allows municipal tax money to indirectly promote a callous business concept like Uber.” (RW/CW)

Bus operator targets ticket cheats Similar employment of guard firm has paid dividends in Aarhus CHRISTIAN WENANDE

US OPERATOR Movia has hired a private security firm G4S to tackle ticket cheats in the capital region following revelations that 2.66 percent of the passengers on its buses rode illegally last year. Movia told Metroxpress that the increased visibility of the guards will create a preventative effect. It expects that the move will triple its 2016 income from fines from an originallybudgeted 8 million kroner to 23.4 million kroner.

Apeing Aarhus A SIMILAR initiative in Aarhus already has a proven track record. In 2013, Midttrafik bus operators hired a guard firm and the percentage of passengers without a valid ticket fell from 3.32 percent in 2012 to 1.67 percent this year. Hiring the guard firm has also increased its income from ticket sales. Cash ticket sales increased by 5.4 percent from 2012-2014 and sales of the now-retired ‘Klippekort’ and periodical tickets – such as the monthly pass – shot up by almost 10 percent.

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2017 Vesterbro party was now secured.

IN A BID to address a shortage of officers in Copenhagen and south Jutland, the national police force is offering anyone prepared to relocate a healthy bonus of between 30,000 and 60,000 kroner.

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THE AP Møller and Chastine McKinney Møller Foundation has made a large donation to the University of Copenhagen for the construction of a new square at the university’s southern campus in Amager. The 19,000 sqm square, which is scheduled for completion in 2018, will have parking for over 2,000 bicycles.

More arson in Nørrebro A NUMBER of small fires have once again been deliberately set in the Nørrebro district – this time last week on Wednesday night in the vicinity of Nørrebroparken. The pattern of the arsonist was similar to the one who set three fires on the night of February 17.

More Americans in town THE NUMBERS of Americans arriving in the capital is booming thanks to the increase in direct flights to the capital, reports Copenhagen Airport. SAS, for example, recently opened a new route to Boston with another to Miami due to start in September. New York, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco and LA are also easy to travel to.

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3 - 9 June 2016

ONLINE THIS WEEK All smiles in Aarhus

Warmest May this century NATIONAL weather forecaster DMI is expected to confirm that this past month was the warmest May since 1993. Its predicted average temperature of 12.8 degrees would leave it 0.1 shy of 1993, 0.6 short of 1947, and a whole degree cooler than 1889. The normal average is 10.8. The hottest temperature of the month was 26.9 on May 22.

Avoiding the toilet DESPITE the austerity cuts, Esbjerg Municipality intends to allocate 700,000 kroner to making its schools’ toilets cleaner following reports that children are not using them. The kids would rather wait until they return home instead of negotiating the faeces, urine and paper routinely found on the floor of the toilets.

Peeping coach THE COACH of the Danish national orienteering team competing in the European Championships in the Czech Republic over the weekend was sent home a day early after being accused of using a hidden camera to film female athletes in ‘bathing and sleeping’ situations. A police investigation is underway. All the athletes have been offered counselling.

Royals ease fears THE ROYALS have responded to a poll conducted by Megafon for Politiken that found 70 percent believe årpenge, the annuities received from the state, should not be given to Prince Joachim’s four children. Of the eight grandchildren of the queen, they stated, only Prince Christian, the future heir to the throne, will receive årpenge, which amounts to a total 100 million kroner a year.

Few agree on what it means, but the majority reject common usage CHRISTIAN WENANDE

ANSK FOLKEPARTI’S foreign affairs spokesperson Søren Espersen kicked off yet another round of the contentious 'neger' debate last week when he called President Barack Obama the “første 'neger' president”. While some Danes concur that ‘neger’ means negro, others disagree, and they were quick to support Socialdemokraterne politician Jeppe Kofoed when he translated 'neger' as 'nigger' in a critical tweet in English. “DF would be happy to pay for an English course for Jeppe Kofoed,” Espersen wrote on Twitter. “He just needs to sign up.” However, his tone changed as the fallout grew, and he later apologised – possibly because he’s scheduled to visit Washington DC in September Revealing demographics A SURVEY swiftly followed in

Some 24 percent of Danes would say she is a ‘neger’

the media, and it emerges that 24 percent of Danes prefer to use the word ‘neger’ when describing someone of African heritage. According to the YouGov survey for Metroxpress, 35 percent favour afrikansk (African), 23 percent use 'sort' (black), 9 percent opt for 'farvet' (coloured), 8 percent chose none of the above and 4 percent didn't know. It is particularly men who are

at ease using ‘neger’, with 29 percent preferring it, compared to 19 percent of women. Only 15 percent of Danes under 30 use the word. Our choice of political party also has an impact. While just 4 percent of Radikale voters use the word, 23 percent of Socialdemokraterne voters and almost 50 percent of DF supporters prefer it.

No screaming please! COMPLAINTS about loud

lovemaking are also common – whether it’s open-air or through an open window. In the case of the former, Damman tends to come too late. “It’s rare that we get there in time,” he said. “He’d have to be pretty good to have gone on that long.” And in the case of the latter, it’s purely a volume issue. “If the windows are open and they are screaming, we have to ask them to stop.”

Violence at home

Supporting innovation

Licence limit lowered

ONE OUT of six Danish children has been subjected to physical violence in their home during the past year, and one in 12 has suffered verbal and psychological abuse, according to the national centre for social research, Det Nationale Forskningscenter for Velfærd. Some 12 percent never or almost never have anyone to talk to about it. The numbers represent a slight decrease on 2010.

KRISTIAN Jensen, the foreign minister, concluded his attendance at the Humanitarian World Summit in Istanbul last week by committing 2 million kroner to a new international network to develop innovation in emergency areas. The Global Alliance for Humanitarian Innovation will include a wide range of global, regional and national participants, including Danish companies Blue Town and Icono.

A MAJORITY in the Danish Parliament on Tuesday gave 17-year-olds the right to get a driving licence. However, they can only practise in the company of a driver over the age of 30 with a clean licence history. Previously the age limit was 18. The minimum age for taking the moped driving exam was also lowered, from 16 to 15. However, it is unconfirmed when the new law will take effect.

RAY WEAVER

HE SOUNDS of noisy garden parties and graduating students, loud music and even sex can often be heard echoing through the summer nights. But too much fun can also result in a visit from the local police and a fine of up to 1,500 kroner. “We get reports of garden

Island for sale

More gap years

Those summer night blues Loud music and lewd behaviour can get you in trouble in the heat

ONLINE THIS WEEK ANOTHER of Denmark’s 406 islands has been put up for sale – this time for 23.5 million kroner. The 100-hectare island of Egholm, situated off the coast of west Zealand near Skælskør, includes a 626 sqm house and three summer homes. The island, for sale via the Boliga website, has been owned for the past 30 years by a company.

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AARHUS, the ‘City of Smiles’, has been named among the top 10 hottest travel destinations in Europe by the travel guide Lonely Planet. Looking ahead to next year when the Jutland city will be the European Capital of Culture and European Region of Gastronomy, the publication applauded its “cool-cat neighbourhoods, head-turning architecture and culinary wizardry”.

A nation divided by ‘neger’

parties going on a bit too long: definitely longer than when the temperatures are below freezing,” Southern Jutland Police watch commander Mads Leervad Dammark told Ekstra Bladet. “It is a difficult balance, but we may be a bit more tolerant of a louder garden party at 11 pm on Saturday than we would on a Tuesday night at midnight.”

GAP YEARS between high school and university are increasingly popular, reports Politiken. According to Statistics Denmark, 77 percent take them – a marked increase since 2013. The rise is attributed to the increased difficulty of getting admitted to university and financial incentives to complete your studies as quickly as possible once you’re there.

Office pests are rife A STUDY by the Economic Council of the Labour Movement has revealed that every fourth woman in Denmark has experienced sexual harassment, threats of violence or bullying at work over the past year, along with 16 percent of men. The high incidence is blamed on a prevalent ‘this is the tone at this workplace’ culture that leads to complaints being dismissed.

Teachers attacked FOLLOWING a reprimand for fighting with another pupil, a 15-year-old student returned to Hedensted school in Jutland last week on Friday and attacked two teachers – all in the presence of his mother. He interrupted classes and then punched, kicked and allegedly spat on the teachers. The school then called the police.

Blogger freed in Bahrain A DANISH blogger and activist, Zainab al-Khawaja, who was jailed in March in Bahrain along with her one-year-old son on charges that included antigovernment and anti-monarchy activities has been released from prison. Prosecutors claim the daughter of activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja has been let off for “humanitarian reasons”.

4 Wakayama Roligans: Denmark’s biggest fans abroad COVER

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3 - 9 June 2016

Born in the Japan, this empire’s sun shines all day long for Denmark CHRISTIAN WENANDE

HE SEED was sown on 1 June 2002. Denmark and Uruguay were battling it out in their opening 2002 World Cup game in Ulsan, South Korea. The score was deadlocked at 1-1 with just seven minutes remaining in the Group A match. Suddenly there was an opening. Martin Jørgensen crossed in for Jon Dahl Tomasson to glance a magnificent header past the rooted Uruguayan keeper off the underside of the cross bar. The Danish fans exploded in joy and shouts of ‘Kom så Danmark!’ echoed across the stadium. But the joyous moment was not exclusive to the Danes. Some 553 kilometres away in Wakayama, Japan, a small group of Japanese fans were also in the midst of wild celebrations. The Wakayama Roligans, Denmark’s most famous fan group abroad, had been born. Echoes of 2002 WELL, actually, the seeds were sown a few weeks earlier during the lead-up to the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, when the Danish team was staying in Wakayama during a training camp building up to the tournament. “We made a cheering squad and I became the leader of it,” Keiji Shinke, the energetic head of Wakayama Roligans, told the Copenhagen Post Weekly. Today, the fan group has swelled to include upwards of 80 people from all walks of life. From Yoshinobu Nisaka, the governor of Wakayama, to a 98-year-old grand old lady and ten-year old kids, the fan group is relentless in its support of the red and whites. Shinke leading the way ONE QUICKLY understands why when introduced to Shinke. Ever equipped with a Danish flag and Viking fan hat, and constantly bellowing “Kom så Danmark!”, the man an exaberant character oozing passion and spirit. “The most important reason for us starting to support Denmark was that the team was very

Keiji Shinke pictured with Freddy Svane (left: left), the Danish ambassador to Japan, and by the statue dedicated to Johannes Knudsen

friendly during their stay in Wakayama. Players like Tomasson and Sørensen were quick to say hi, smile and wave back at us,” said Shinke. Freddy Svane, the Danish ambassador to Japan who often meets with Shinke and the Wakayama Roligans, hailed the group for their undying passion. ”About 40 or 50 of them meet once per month for dinner and celebrate Denmark with this football fan spirit, and they are true ambassadors,” said Svane. “Mr Shinke is the man in charge and he is doing a fantastic job. Every time I come to Wakayama or he comes to Tokyo he brings a massive Danish flag and shouts ‘Kom så Danmark!’ He is all in for Denmark and Danish football.” Kirin Cup comeback THE WAKAYAMA Roligans will have even more to shout about next week. Missing out on Euro 2016, the Danish team is back in Japan to take part in the Kirin Cup. No need to tell Shinke. He’s knows the score. He has already acquired some 2-3,000 posters with the Danish flag, and on the back side the national anthem is printed. “It’s typically Japanese in the sense that if they have an interest in something, they go all in. They wear the right gear, know the right names, they sing the songs. And they know more about the Danish national team than I do,” said Svane. “It’s part of the culture. Whether its football, chess or painting – or whatever it might

be. If they have a passion for something, they work on it 24-7. They are a loyal group and never ever give up.” Pure dedication INDEED. Recently, the Danish Superliga club AGF Aarhus’ fan site, Morethanaclub.dk, collected over 7,000 kroner from AGF fans to pay for plane and train tickets for Japan’s biggest AGF fan, Kousuke Tobe, to come and see his favourite team play for the first time in Aarhus. Tobe started following AGF in 2002 aged just 12 after seeing club legend Martin Jørgensen play for Denmark during the World Cup. Jørgensen played for Italian outfit Udinese at the time, but that didn’t prevent Tobe from finding out where it all started for the former midfielder. When Jørgensen surprised Tobe while he was being interviewed before the match in Aarhus, he nearly fell over in shock and momentarily seemed to lose the power of speech. Denmark’s best ever player Michael Laudrup is another Dane who is still remembered fondly in Japan. Svane contended that Laudrup was a kind of ice-breaker in a footballing context when he went to Japan to play for Vissel Kobe for a season in 1995. There are Japanese fans who still follow Denmark to this day because of Laudrup. Hero on the high seas THANKS to the close relationship between the fan group and the football team, Wakayama certainly has a potent Danish connection. Over the past 14

years the city has even hosted an annual ‘Komsa Danmark’ football tournament. But actually, an unlikely link between the city and Denmark has existed for almost 60 years. In 1957, Johannes Knudsen wrote himself into Wakayama hearts and history. The Dane was on his maiden journey as the chief engineer on the Maersk-owned ship Ellen Maersk, when the tanker spotted a small Japanese fishing boat ablaze off the coast of Wakayama. Ellen Maersk lowered a ladder to save the fisherman, but he was too exhausted to climb up. Knudsen instead climbed down to fetch him, but unfortunately both he and the fisherman ended up losing their lives. There is still a bronze statue of Knudsen in Hinomisaki Park near the town of Gobo, located just south of Wakayama, commemorating his heroism that day all those years ago. Help from DBU SHINKE said that the Wakayama Roligans expect to travel to watch both games Denmark play in. The first will be in Aichi on June 3 (see page 23 for details), while the final and bronze games will be played on June 7 in Suita. The group is planning to take a 30-man bus to Suita, some two hours away from Wakayama, and they may get some help from the Danish football association DBU for the game in Aichi. Jakob Wadland, the head press officer with the Danish national team, revealed that the DBU were trying to sort out some tickets for the Wakayama Roligans. Their support has not

gone unnoticed. “It’s not something we usually experience during our world travels. It’s very unique to Japan, and there is no doubt that it is very special.” “It’s important, it’s fun and it’s good for the team to see that we have an unusual following. It’s very nice to have that support. It generates a good atmosphere in the squad, and it makes them feel interesting.” Conflicting loyalties HOWEVER, there’s a slight hitch for Shinke and company. During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Denmark played Japan in the group stage, which really tested the loyalties of the fan group. Ultimately, national emotions won out for many, and so did Japan, knocking Denmark out of contention. A similar situation could easily arise next week. Denmark take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in one semi-final, while Japan face Bulgaria in the other. Depending on the results of those games, the Danes could very well run into the hosts in the final or in the battle for third. As was the case in 2010, Shinke hopes for a draw. Shinke, who has been to Denmark twice, said he would love to make it to Rio to cheer on the Danes during the Olympic Games, but he may have to settle for watching it on TV if he can’t get a ticket. But wherever he may find himself this summer, there is little doubt that he and the Wakayama Roligans will be shouting: “Kom så Danmark!”

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3 - 9 June 2016

Thousands killed by mistake

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Cleaner waters

Tackling diabetes

THE EU’S latest ‘State of Bathing Waters’ ranks Denmark at a record-high ninth, up three places from 2015. Some 85.7 percent of its bathing sites were awarded the highest mark for quality, while 98.3 percent were deemed satisfactory. Only 0.6 percent were judged ‘poor’, down from 1.6 percent last year.

COPENHAGEN Municipality is opening a new diabetes centre in Vesterbro in July in a bid to address why poor people with non-Danish backgrounds and a low standard of education are the most at risk of contracting the disease. The Danish Diabetes Association is also onboard.

KU’s green success

Eldercare working A CAPITAL Region initiative that involves elderly patients being taken home by hospital staff is increasingly popular, according to KORA. Staff are able to assist patients regarding their medicine intake and ensure their homes are in a reasonable state. About 3,000 patients are helped home every year.

THE UNIVERSITY of Copenhagen’s ambitious green strategy, on which it has so far spent 110 million kroner, is bearing fruit. It has reduced its CO2 emissions by 48 percent over the past decade, while its energy consumption has dropped by 32 percent, saving it 35 million kroner on its annual energy bills.

Microalgae solution

Better heart attack odds

RESEARCHERS from the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of Copenhagen are developing GM microalgae to produce the complex, molecules that make up the expensive parts of medication. The method is made possible by introducing P450 cytochromes – a type of enzyme.

PEOPLE who suffer heart attacks in public now have a 24 percent chance of surviving, according to Dansk Hjertestopregister, which attributes the improvement to the Danish people’s first aid skills and their use of defibrillators. In 2002, the survival rate was under 10 percent.

More report symptoms

Prescriptions ceiling

“I wish there was more we could have done” ... “You’ve done quite enough”

Patients are duty-bound to report errors to improve the system, argues safety group

and injuries sustained during improper hospitalisation in Denmark every year. Over half of those deaths could be preventable if patients were guaranteed optimal treatment, reports Berlingske.

SHIFA RAHAMAN

CCORDING to figures released by the Danish Society for Patient Safety, between 1,200 and 3,000 people die due to medical errors

New Viking fortress opens

Fix the system CAMILLA Hersom, the chair of Danske Patienter, has called

upon the medical community to fix what she believes are problems with the system of reporting medical errors in the country. However, she also believes patients need to act. “They should report errors if any occur,” she told DR. “We need to change the system so we are able to follow up and fix mistakes more efficiently.”

Green delegates in town

Atomic waste threat

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AARHUS UNIVERSITY

Not exactly inspiring in digital

Eco-friendly, do not Trump-dry

New border concerns

Situation is worsening

“How much?!”

ON MONDAY afternoon, Queen Margrethe II opened the recently-discovered Borgring Viking fortress to the public. The fortress, which is located in a field in Vallø and remained hidden for over 1,000 years before being discovered in 2014, will enable the public to learn more about its history and the excavation. It will include a new welcoming centre with an exhibition and viewing platform, and over 30,000 visitors are expected to visit the site this summer. Visitors can peruse Viking artefacts, watch a virtual reality film and look on as onsite archaeologists unearth an important part of Danish history. (CW)

NEXT WEEK (June 6-7), leaders and delegates from 35 nations will descend on Copenhagen to take part in the 2016 Global Green Growth Forum (3GF). The annual summit generates innovative co-operations and come up with green solutions focusing on energy, food waste, climate change and sustainable cities. The three areas that this year’s summit will focus on are: the green transition of energy systems, cities being the driving force for the green transition, and the optimal utilisation of natural resources. 3GF was established by the Danish government in 2011 in co-operation with South Korea and Mexico. (CW)

THE GERMAN state of Schleswig-Holstein is planning to store atomic waste at Balzersen, near the Danish border. Some 35,000 tonnes generated from the dismantling of two of the state’s nuclear power plants, Krümmel and Brunsbüttel, will be dispersed at seven sites, of which Balzersen is one. Thomas Andresen, the mayor of Aabenraa in Denmark, told Flensborg Avis that “if we want to co-operate across the border then there is a clear expectation that we inform one another”. The waste is deemed to be of a lightly radioactive character, such as material from the carparks and buildings. (CW)

SINCE DR reported that 64 former employees of Siemens had suffered from chronic illnesses like asthma and eczema – allegedly as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals during their period of employment – 120 more current and former employees of Siemens and Vestas have informed the trade union 3F they are also worried. Politicians, together with the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), are now calling for a phone hotline to enable more to come forward, reports DR. The toxic chemicals in question are epoxy and isocyanates – allergens on the EU’s list of carcinogenic substances. (SR)

THE PRICE of prescription medication will remain unchanged until 15 December 2018 thanks to a new agreement between the municipalities organisation Kommunernes Landsforening and the pharmaceutical industry. Metroxpress reports that many believe the measure is a step in the right direction and will lead to more peace of mind for Danes who regularly purchase pharmaceuticals. In the past, price regulations were decided on the basis of changing salaries and inflation. This new agreement changes all those rules, as the price ceiling cannot be raised at all – unless, in rare cases, an exception is sought and granted by the Health Ministry. (SR)

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ONLINE THIS WEEK

3 - 9 June 2016

Danish ladies face key Euro ties

Lone Star’s one and only DUST OFF your Tony Lama boots and Stetson as country legend Kris Kristofferson, 80, is performing shows in Odense, Aarhus and Copenhagen on September 9, 10 and 13. Tickets cost 375 kroner.

Frank’s the new black FRANK Underwood would be pleased with how this vote turned out as Danes have named ‘House of Cards’ as their most popular show on Netflix. In a poll conducted by YouGov for Metroxpress, it won 24 percent of the vote. ‘Orange is the New Black’ was second.

Organic beer deal THE SMUKFEST festival has confirmed it will only sell organic beer on tap this year after signing a deal with Royal, and that it be more expensive than in 2015. Regular beer will still be sold, but only in bottles and cans. Last year, the festival sold 180,000 litres from its taps.

FOOTBALL: EURO 2017 (W) THU JUNE 2, 19:00 DENMARK VS SLOVAKIA VIBORG STADION CRICKET: DIVISION 1 (M) SAT JUNE 4, 11:00 SVANHOLM VS SKANDERBORG BRØNDBY STADION

CYCLING RACE (M/W) SUN JUNE 5, 10:00 MENY VM STAFETTEN GEELS BAKKE, HOLTE

INCE THE men’s national football team were unable to qualify for Euro 2016 in France, it’s left to the ladies to show them how it’s done. They will strive to do so this week with two home matches against Slovakia and Poland on June 2 and 7, with both matches kicking off at 19:00 at the Energi Viborg Stadium in Viborg.

Well placed to qualify SWEDEN tops Denmark’s Group 4 and looks set to win it easily, but the red and whites could qualify as one of the best six runners-up. The Danes are third with seven points from four games, two points behind Slovakia with two games in hand. Poland, fourth, with seven points, have played a game more.

Simon but no Garfunkel

Feed the beast indeed

Roskilde selling fast

IT WILL be worth crossing a bridge over troubled water to watch Paul Simon perform at the Aalborg Congress and Culture Centre on October 29. Miss out and you’re left with the sound of silence. Tickets cost 345-795 kroner.

A US REMAKE of the 2014 Danish TV series ‘Bankerot’ is making its premiere on AMC on June 5. ‘Feed the Beast’ stars David Schwimmer and Jim Sturgess. Original series producers Henrik Ruben Genz and Malene Blenkov are executive producers.

THE ROSKILDE Festival (June 25-July 2), which has already sold out of single day tickets for Friday July 1 and Saturday July 2, has warned that it will soon sell out of its 80,000 full-festival tickets. The tickets cost 1,995 kroner.

US FOOTBALL: DANISH LEAGUE (M) SUN JUNE 5, 14:00 HERLEV REBELS VS HORSENS STALLIONS HJORTESPRINGSKOLEN, HERLEV

POSTCALENDERS.DK

THIS WEEK’S DATES JUNE 5 CONSTITUTION DAY

CONSTITUTION Day which commemorates the signing of the Danish constitution in 1849 by Frederik VII. Known to Danes as ‘Grundlovsdag’, or independence day, it marks the establishment of Denmark as a constitutional power. Today the event is celebrated by political speeches and talks up and down the country. For the first time this year, Radikale is hosting an event in English at Revymuseet in Frederiksberg.

JUNE 8 DENMARK’S PEASANTS REVOLT

ON THIS day in 1441 a peasant rebellion in northern Jutland was crushed by King Christopher III. Discontent over rising taxes sparked a 25,000-strong uprising led by Henrik Reventlow against the nobility. Facing a vastly superior army, Christopher offered to pardon those who decided to go home, and the islanders from Mors and Thisted promptly withdrew, leaving the rest of the uprising to be defeated at St Jorgen’s Hill.

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BUSINESS

3 - 9 June 2016

Building permit overhaul ONLINE THIS WEEK

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So that’s Colonel Mustard with the theodolite in the extension

Municipalities confident they can make wellinformed, quick decisions

nicipalities of Silkeborg and Middelfart, it will be gradually introduced in 14 more.

LUCIE RYCHLA

Better than Google! COWI CLAIMS it offers better quality photos than Google Street View, and that it takes photos more frequently. “The overriding difference is that we cover everywhere, photographing every street in the same year,” Lars Flemming, its marketing manager, told Berlingske. “We take photos of all the state roads, municipal roads and private roads, and we cover all the areas with summer-houses.”

NEW DIGITAL tool designed by the Danish engineering company COWI will enable municipalities to quickly issue building permits for house garages, terraces and home extensions, reports Berlingske. The digital maps allow municipal employees to inspect an area without having to go there personally. Already tested in the mu-

FULL STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

Jobless numbers falling

Eyes on Kenya

Pulled up for lying

THE EMPLOYMENT rate in 32 of the 46 municipalities in the Øresund Region increased between the first quarter of 2013 and the fourth quarter of 2015. Copenhagen’s rate increased by 6 percent, double the national average. In March, Denmark’s unemployment rate was 4.2 percent – its lowest level since March 2009. According to LO, municipalities with negative job growth need to attract more families.

THE ENVIRONMENT and food minister, Esben Lunde Larsen, last week signed a foodrelated co-operation agreement with Kenya to boost the east African nation’s ability to produce more fresh fruit, veg and dairy products. Kenya recently shot up 28 places in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index. Danish exports to Kenya in 2014 were worth 222 million kroner.

THE POWER company Syd Energi, the owner of telecommunications company Stofa, has been criticised by the Danish consumer ombudsman for lying to its customers. Syd Energi misled consumers by advertising that its prices for electricity were less expensive than those of its competitors. The claim turned out to be false. Syd Energi acknowledges the criticism and claims it has corrected the problem.

Crying in their milk

Tiger tames the Brits

Joy at the themeparks

ARLA IS offering Swedish farmers just 2.30 Swedish krona per litre of milk – a price unheard of since the 1980s. There is a glut of milk worldwide, and the Russian trade embargo is being felt throughout the milk industry. Exports to China have also fallen. The EU recently dropped limits on how much milk member countries can produce. Dairy farmers throughout Europe are considering shutting down.

TIGER is currently one of the UK’s fastest-growing businesses. Total sales in the UK rose by 69 percent last year as it opened 31 new stores, taking its total number of locations in Britain to nearly 80. The UK has accordingly jumped past Denmark and Italy to become the largest market for the group. Analysts believe that Tiger can be as big a success in Britain as its fellow Scandinavian chain Ikea.

MOST OF the country’s amusement parks have experienced solid growth over the past five years, according to Metroxpress. One of them, Djurs Sommerland, has doubled its visitor numbers since 2007 to a record 800,000 last year – thanks in part to heavy investment of 300 million kroner in new rides. Many of the other parks are also investing heavily – not just in rides but in training seasonal workers.

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TINY MAERSCHALK LIVING IN AN EXPAT WORLD Belgium’s Tiny Maerschalk, who has worked for the International Community networking platform since its foundation in 2008, knows how it feels to settle in a new country. Dedicated to improving conditions for new arrivals, here she shares her insights about the business issues that mean the most to internationals in Denmark.

Dual income society DENMARK is considered a dual income society and the childcare system for children aged 0-5 (preschool) is highly

Denmark’s system means she needn’t be on her own all the time

Good work-life balance MOREOVER, daycare centres are usually open from early morning until late afternoon, leaving plenty of time to bring and pick up your children. The long opening hours lead to another discussion about the looong days some children spend in daycare. Personally, we are able make the best of it due to the flexible workplace culture, which means we can both work

and spend valuable time with our children as long as we plan ahead. Denmark prides itself on having a healthy work-life balance, and the childcare model supports that. Understandably, the welfare model, the flexible working conditions and childcare facilities are all key aspects when international employees decide to come here to live and work – and major reasons why I have been here for 15 years!

As a life science professional with two decades of hands-on experience in life science R&D, I understand why you are excited. You are standing on the doorstep of a regional life science industry stronger than ever before. Consequently, the demand for talented life science R&D students like yourselves is unsurpassed. We need you!

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EAR LIFE science students. No matter whether you are a student of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Business School, neighbouring Lund University or the University of Malmö – or another university for that matter – you’ve already made a clever career move choosing life science. No other industry has so much to offer in terms of inspiring professional challenges, promising job opportunities and, last but not least, the opportunity to help patients around the world.

prioritised in Denmark, so both parents can work. In fact, all children are guaranteed a spot at a daycare institution, although it can take a few months to get one secured. Quality wise, parents are generally satisfied with the childcare institutions in Denmark and rate them higher than in any of the other Scandinavian countries. Personally we are satisfied with our eldest daughter’s kindergarten and feel that we get our money’s worth. A few facts for the uninitiated: the childcare programs and the price vary depending on the municipality, if it’s public or private and whether or not lunch is included. In 2013 the average price for enrolling children aged 0-3 at a public nursery was 2,800 kroner per month. This amount is reduced at kindergarten (ages 3-6) and you get a price reduction if you enroll siblings at public institutions.

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BOUT HALF a year ago my second daughter came into the world. I really enjoy the daily symbiosis with my baby daughter and time is truly flying at the moment. Soon I’ll be back in the office at International Community and everyday life will be turned upside down once again. However, I look forward to starting to work again, and unlike a few of my international friends, who are used to other childcare models back home, I have never thought about not going back to my job. In Denmark almost all mothers go back to work due to the flexible work culture and childcare system, so it just never crossed my mind to stay at home for good.

3 - 9 June 2016

Exciting times ahead SUMMERTIME is approaching, which means that for many of you it’s time for exams and that quite a few of you will receive your degrees in the months to come.

Crucial connections MOREOVER, we need not only you. We also need the best and the brightest of your classmates – whether they are Danish, Swedish or international students. If you went abroad during your education (we assume you did), we also need all the suitable fellow students you have met during your studies abroad. We need foreign talents to come, stay, inspire and contribute to the further development of the life science cluster, Medi-

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SØREN BREGENHOLT THE VALLEY OF LIFE As the chairman of the Medicon Valley Alliance – the gold-labelled Danish-Swedish life science cluster organisation – Søren will address current trends and challenges in the sector. Away from the alliance, he is responsible for Novo Nordisk’s global R&D-based PhD and postdoc programs, as well as research, innovation and educational policy.

Keeping his eyes on the prize

con Valley, and we need you students to spread the word and help attract and recruit your future colleagues! A vital cluster I WANT to use this opportunity to wish you the best of luck with your exams; it will open doors to a whole wide world of ground-

breaking life science R&D. If you want to conquer the world of life science, you might as well start right here! You are after all living in one of the most vital life science clusters in northern Europe, so why not take advantage of it? Enjoy the summer and see you soon.

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CAREERS ADVICE

3 - 9 June 2016

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DAVID PARKINS 21ST CENTURY ALCHEMY 21st Century Alchemy is a weekly Q&A column for career-minded professionals, entrepreneurs and small businesses written by David Parkins, a business (re)development specialist, company culture strategist, career coach, and IMCSA speaker (ep3.dk). A foreign passport should be an asset to any CV

INCE I’M employed by both companies and individuals, I tend to avoid being political by hiding behind the façade of professional neutrality. Passive endorsement BUT THIS recent debate on the GREEN CARD SCHEME has really got under my skin – most particularly how there aren’t a lot of Danes standing beside the immigrants, which makes me wonder … “What are we willing to tolerate?” As a society, are we passively encouraging political bullying because it doesn’t directly affect us? Are we the ones who stand at a distance, watching the victims publically paraded in humiliation, unwilling to get our hands dirty and silently supporting the erosion of human rights?

HAVE YOU RUN OUT OF IDEAS? STRUGGLING FOR INSPIRATION? NEED SOME MOTIVATION? PLEASE SEND YOUR CAREER OR COMPANY QUESTIONS TO CONTACT@ EP3.DK OR @EP3DK.

The same as you AS YOU have no doubt already figured out, I’m an immigrant, which these days feels like a bad word or a crime. But immigrants AREN’T social pariahs, we don’t have anti-social tendencies, and we’re not trying to change Danish society and undermine time-tested values that are a part of Danishness (NFS Grundtvig’s Danskhed). And while I’m no spokesperson for all immigrants, it isn’t difficult to imagine that what immigrants want is what everyone wants: to be treated like a human being. None of the immigrants are claiming rights, but no-one should ever have to

– there are some things that we should never need to ask for, but should be provided. What everyone wants, immigrants included, is to be able to work in a role that looks more like a career than the menial labour that no-one wants to do. Despite what you may think, the taxi driver with two engineering masters would rather be a professional engineer than driving you to the airport in the middle of the night. We want to make an income so that we can pay our taxes, buy our groceries, and put a roof over our heads and clothes on our backs. We want to provide a life for our family that is at least the same and hopefully better than the life we had before we came here regardless of whether it was from the USA or Syria, Iran or Japan. And above all, we want to be functional members of society like every other person. Dehumanised, undeterred SCRAPPING the Green Card Scheme (even the thought of it) is putting the blame on the immigrants who paid to come here, who’ve worked hard to integrate and, if they’ve been fortunate, continued to work hard at the humdrum jobs that they could get, all the while doing their best to learn the language and navigate the gauntlet of every societal and governmental hurdle in the way. But none of us choose to be unemployed – including immigrants. Seriously, who does?! Five years ago, it wasn’t part of my grand plan to immigrate to

Denmark, destroying both my career prospects and downgrading my hard-earned education to worthless pieces of paper. That wasn’t my vision, but sadly that’s my reality. Unemployment dehumanises as the individual’s identity and values slowly evaporate, as they become a number, failure and defect, as they’re labelled unproductive, desperate, wishful, delusional, depressed and poor – separated and isolated because they were ‘unwilling’ to integrate with ‘respectable society’. Being unemployed is to be silently erased; it’s on a par with being homeless, mentally-ill or addicted. Valuable assets EVERY single immigrant has had real life and work experience. They now possess professional and world perspectives that are unique and potentially enlightening to any Danish business desiring to be more than a mom and pop fishmonger on the rocky shores of this little island. It’s obvious that nearly every Dane speaks English, yet nearly every immigrant speaks it better, so instead of focusing on how to disqualify the masses – thinking of the million or so expats and immigrants as liabilities and burdens – start thinking of them, of us, as untapped resources that can be easily utilised. And remember that every immigrant you hire is desperate – desperate to work, desperate to stay in a country that apparently doesn’t want them and desperate to care for their families.

Embrace them IF YOU don’t want immigrants to be tax burdens, then employ them and transform them into assets. But don’t think of them as 2-for-1 discount workers who are not worthy of a living wage. Don’t prey upon their circumstances. It’s immoral and inhumane – two characteristics not found under the definition of Danishness. And what will you get in return? You’ll never find a more dedicated and hardworking individual than the one who’s been unemployed or under-employed in brainless bullshit for years. And as every business leader already knows, you can teach skills but you can’t teach character, you can’t teach work-ethic, and you can’t teach loyalty.

UPCOMING DURING the next few weeks, I’ll be shifting to more practical matters like job-seeking, letter writing, resume structuring, interviewing and negotiation. I also hope to inspire you a little as you face the abyss separating you from meaningful employment (or your next job). I hope that as you read the column you’ll feel a little more encouraged, a little better equipped and whole lot more empowered. And if you have any questions, please send them in. I’d be happy to respond.

OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

3 - 9 June 2016

Not so much is rotten …

Assuredly competitive ON TOP of that, Denmark has been confirmed as number six in the World Competitiveness Yearbook – just a place behind Sweden after an improvement of two places. The yearbook applauds Denmark’s legal robustness, absence of corruption and general equality. The government’s ambitious green policy and the current quality of research and science in the country, despite the recent austerity cutbacks, have also played a large role, although it remains to be seen what happens to the PSO tax. It has been declared illegal by the EU Commission and has to be restructured. It may be funded directly by income tax instead of a tax on energy. This would jeopardise the tax ceiling policy so what the end result will be is not clear. The World Bank’s ‘Doing

Prospects of the City

Business Report’ placed Denmark at number three in its competitiveness rankings, calling Denmark the best country in the world to do business in. While the World Economic Forum rated Denmark at number 12, although it was a close race with other western European countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland. Not a bad outlook ALL IN all, the conclusion is that it is going relatively well for the kingdom. A sign of optimism this week was the signing of conditional construction contracts of the biggest ever infrastructure project between Denmark and Germany. The Fehmarn Link will cost 30 billion kroner. Formal German approval has not yet been issued, but Chancellor Merkel has nodded enough to suggest it is a done deal. The improvement of traffic is expected to be massive. Not only Denmark, but all Scandinavia will benefit from it. Meanwhile, an upgrade of the Danish railway system will introduce new lines and eliminate other bottlenecks. Infrastructure projects tend to exceed their budgets, but are normally profitable in the end! All in all, we can conclude that the state of Denmark is in better shape than when Shakespeare gave his opinion in 1603. (ES)

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As the author of the 1995 essay ’Victim of Welfare. An Essay on State and Individual in Denmark’ and 2011 novel ’Wagon 537 Christiania’, Per Smidl is no stranger to controversy. After 12 years of self-imposed exile in Prague, he is back in his native Copenhagen, a city he will always have a unique perspective on.

JENNY EGSTEN-ERICSON

N THE FIRST quarter of 2016, Denmark has seen an increase in its GDP of 0.5 percent. It may be adjusted later, but up front it is a significant step in the right direction. Interestingly, it has been calculated that the increased cost of handling the refugees and migrants at the present level amounts to just 0.1 percent of the GDP. Gone are the bleak predictions that these expenses would jeopardise the welfare system.

PER SMIDL

Idly living the life of Riley under the watchful eye of George Smiley

N WHICH the prospector welcomes the bright prospect of the summer and frets at the sinister prospect of the government’s projected limitations of freedom and expression in Denmark. Imminent stranglehold ON MARCH 30, Danish PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen announced his government’s intention to “criminalise expressions that undermine Danish legislation and values”. Considering the grave implications of such counter-constitutional legislation – not just for the religious extremists (who are purportedly the target of the new law), but for the public at large and the country’s creative writers in particular – the outcry has been modest. It is not the purpose of this article to remedy the situation but rather to alert the country’s population of foreign residents to a fundamental change in Danish legislation that – when passed through Parliament – will work to lessen the constitutional gap between the democratic kingdom of Denmark and the world’s

declared totalitarian regimes. I expressly say ‘when’ this piece of legislation becomes law since the three largest parties in Parliament (Venstre, Socialdemokraterne and Dansk Folkeparti) all support it and will vote to approve it. Parklife paradox CYCLING one warm and sunny day along Islands Brygge, taking in the throngs of people sunbathing, swimming and enjoying themselves in a spot where until a few years ago such beach life was forbidden (both because the water was polluted and because the physical conditions for it were not yet there – nowadays it is even possible to play beach volleyball!), I could not help being hit by a telling paradox. While the physical conditions for living a good life in this day and age in Copenhagen are improved tremendously (for the moneyed class at least), the mental conditions for life and its spiritual expressions are structurally and systematically (proportionately too?) undermined and in effect worsened.

Never yours WHEN THE new legislation is in place, the citizens of Denmark will be free to sunbathe and swim in places where it was formerly forbidden, but asked to shut up on forums where they were previously permitted to speak. What the Danish state whispers in every one of its citizens’ ears from now on will be: “Go for a dip off the key at Islands Brygge and enjoy the wind and the sea against your skin, but don’t say out loud what you find is wrong with your workplace, the public institutions and the Danish state’s democratic ideology. Earn your money in any way you like, even if it means speculating in quick and work-free profit, consume material things and services to your pecuniary heart’s and belly’s content, but don’t ever publicly demonstrate that you have an independent mind and a corresponding need and longing for spiritual liberty. From now on, you will be punished for that. The Bill of Rights was never yours.”

OPINION

3 - 9 June 2016

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KIRSTEN LOUISE PEDERSEN

A Dane Abroad Born and raised in Denmark, Kirsten jumped ship in her early 20s to spend the next 12 years living in New Zealand. A physiotherapist, acupuncturist, yogini and foodie, she has a passion for life and wellbeing. After a few stints back in the motherland, Kirsten is once again back living in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Heatwave … again NOT MANY weeks ago I was having conversations with friends and relatives from the Motherland groaning about the cold weather – hail was the topic du jour. And whilst spending Christmas 2015 in Copenhagen, I and fellow inhabitants of Denmark experienced the warmest December ever recorded. Meanwhile, ‘autumn heatwave’ made it into the headlines in the New Zealand Herald after the month of May recorded temperatures a whole 1.5C hotter than average. I and most other Aucklanders have been selfishly loving the milder onset to ‘winter’ – yet a part of me is deeply concerned at the greater implications of this wider-ranging issue. Ugly truth ACCORDING to NASA’s climate change website (climate. nasa.gov), the ten warmest years since 1880 have occurred in the last 12 years – all as a result of human factors. The common denominator is the large-scale disruption of nature’s balance. Practices of disastrous proportions include: over-fishing, mass scale agriculture, depletion of land and fresh water, mass-scale livestock farming and meat production, which have exploded in the last 50 years and expected to rise (USA and China: we can seeeee you). But apart from lots of fancy conferences on the subject – what is actually being done? Are the biggest contributors to this eventual-but-certain-

‘Mere te’ Vicar? DARREN MCCALLIG

The Director’s Cut DAVID NOEL BOURKE

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O, AS SUMMER is supposedly approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, winter is supposedly approaching in the Southern Hemisphere. It appears, though, that we are getting to a point where neither winter nor summer is anything like what they used to be – regardless of where in the world you reside.

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Under the Raydar RAY WEAVER

Crazier than Christmas VIVIENNE MCKEE “For those of you unsure whether it is Fahrenheit, you’re all morons”

planet-destruction issue being addressed? And are plans of action big enough to make a significant change being carried out as we speak? Who should do what? ACCORDING to researcher and global depletion expert Dr Richard Oppenlander, the author of ‘Food Choice and Sustainability’, the meat production industry in its entirety is the biggest contributor to global warming. China and the USA are the biggest consumers of meat in the world with one fourth of the world’s total meat production going to China. According to Oppenlander, a failure to include developing countries – and emission heavyweights – such as China, Mexico, India, Brazil and South Korea equally in major global climate change initiatives has caused unnecessary delays to significant action. Discrepancies in the extent of the requirements

imposed on various countries due to financial impact has left nations divided. And as we bicker on about moolah, Earth is getting ever closer to irreversible disaster. Ignorance 1, Earth 0 WITHOUT discounting individual responsibility-taking, which is crucial, we as individuals can recycle, save water, eat primarily plant-based diets and drive hybrid cars all we want, but we won’t get far unless the heavyweights contributing to this issue start pulling their heavy weight. Our planet is about to cark it from irreversible damage that we inflicted on it. And if the current level of human consciousness continues – it will actually cark it while politicians argue and big corporations and governments give in to greed, as we sit back in our cosy living rooms watching ‘The Kardashians’, obvivious to the dire straits we are really in.

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3 - 9 June 2016

ABOUT TOWN

PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD

The latest meeting of the International Club Copenhagen paid South Korean ambassador Young-sam Ma (centre) a visit at his embassy and residence for what was called an ‘after-hours get-together’ on May 30. The visit, co-ordinated by ICC president Hasse Ferrold (left: centre), included a guided tour around an exhibition at the embassy in honour and commemoration of the Jutlandia, the Danish hospital ship that assisted UN Soldiers and civilians during the Korean War. And then later at his residence, the ambassador gave a speech on Korean-Danish relations and hosted dinner

Norway celebrated its national day on May 17 with a midday service at Vår Frelsers Kirke followed by a party attended by close to 5,000 people. Among those present (centre) were Norwegian ambassador Ingvard Havnen (left) and Bertel Haarder, the culture minister (right)

The diplomatic corps were out in force for the Women Deliver conference (May 16-19). Among those present were South African ambassador Zindzi Mandela (left: third right); Indian ambassador Rajev Shahare (centre: third left) and Dutch ambassador Henk Swarttouw (right: left), who is pictured sitting next to Máxima, the queen of the Netherlands

Moroccan ambassador Raja Ghannam (centre right) and Armenian ambassador Hrachya Aghajanyan (left) were among those present at the UN City for the visit of Zohrab Mnatsakanyan (right) the president of the UNOPS executive board

French ambassador Francois Zimeray (second left) was among those present as his fellow countryman, the retired Prince Henrik, carried out a rare public duty to inaugurate new classes at the French school, Prins Henriks Skole, in Frederiksberg

German ambassador Claus Robert Krumrei (left) was at hand to present Bayer Denmark’s Scottish managing director Marion McPherson with the German Company of the Year award, as chosen by the German-Danish Chamber of Commerce

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Lecture by John Adams, CSB New York, USA Saturday April 9th 2016 3:00 p.m. in English and 4:30 p.m. in Danish (free entrance) Hotel Imperial – Vester Farimagsgade 9, 1606 CPH V John Adams is an international lecturer, teacher andpractitioner of Christian Science. He was healed of serious drug abuse by studying Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. This started his healing mission. THE LECTURE IS SPONSORED BY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST IN COPENHAGEN - KRISTENVIDENSKAB.DK

Join the American Club in Copenhagen, and take part in our exciting and interesting events and excellent networking opportunities! This is a great way to meet others from the international community in Copenhagen! For further information: www.americanclub.dk or contact Vibeke Henrichsen at 3961 7375

Living Church is an international church family – a visionary congregation with a genuine passion for God. Our worship is joyful and vibrant. You will find a church family and a home with us. Sunday Service 12:00 with Children’s Church (ages 2-14); Home Groups Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Femagervej 39, 2650 Hvidovre (Close to Hvidovre Station) For more information see: www.levendekirke.com; facebook.com/levendekirke

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OUT AND ABOUT

CIS

COPENHAGEN International School (CIS) held its annual market festival ‘Spring

3 - 9 June 2016

joyed a full day of games, performances, homemade piñatas and a contest to make

the best chilli con carne. Everyone could join in and get a chance at winning great

prizes that included the ‘rector of the day’ award, a piano and a pilates class. LUCIE RYCHLA

traditional music by music groups from Sweden and Germany, Balinese dancing performed by Ni Nyoman S Amandari from Aarhus (centre left), Indonesian martial arts performances, traditional wedding ceremonies and more. Not only was it an audiovisual feast, the festival also

offered various Indonesian delicacies to satisfy your tastebuds: fried rice nasi goreng, colorful kue tampahan mini cake … you name it! This annual event aims to promote friendship between Denmark and Indonesia. Also, Indonesian people take the opportunity to express their love towards the home-

land thousands of miles away. Ambassador Muhammad Ibnu Said (central left) along with his fellow countrymen passionately sang the song ‘Indonesia Pusaka’, a patriotic song celebrating the independence of Indonesia, after which they all shouted Merdeka! Merdeka (independent/free – although some

passing French people did initially look alarmed)! Also present (right) was Hans Toft, the mayor of Gentofte Municipality (centre right), South Korean ambassador Ma Young Sam (central left), and Jorge Teixeira de Sampayo (left), the deputy head of mission at the Portuguese Embassy. JUNYI QI

JUNYI QI

Fair’ on Saturday May 21 and this year’s theme was rodeo. Children and parents en-

OPENHAGENERS were invited to become more familiar with one of Asia’s most populous countries last weekend at the Indonesia Bazaar and Cultural Festival held at the country’s embassy. On a day of non-stop fun and excitement, one event led to another, including live

RUNDETAARN.DK

Have you ever dreamt to draw from a live model? Once a month the Classical Drawing School of Copenhagen gives you this chance, and you don’t even need to be a professional artist! (June 6, 19:00; Klassisk Tegneskole, Ærøvej 1, Frederiksberg; 50 kr; klassisktegneskole.dk)

Trampoline House and the University of Copenhagen are hosting the 4th edition of ‘Be.Bop’, a conference about African musical legacies and colonial inequalities (June 5-7, 11:00-17:00; Thorasvej 7, Cph NV & Njalsgade 120, Cph S; free adm)

The head of the Syrian National Ensemble, composer and oud player Maher Mahmoud, is performing at Global Copenhagen with other musicians from the Music Institute in Damascus (June 3, 21:00; Global Copenhagen; Nørre Allé 7, Cph N; 70-90 kr; billetlugen.dk)

Cafe Retro’s southern Europe event will serve you sangria, summer reds (tinto de verano) and chilled affogato while the dancefloor beats Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Greek vintage vibes (June 2, 17:00-23:00; RETRO Nørrebro, Cph N)

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Live music and swing moves! The Rhythm Baby Makers, a Swedish band from Uppsala, play hits from the roaring 20s and tumultuous 30s (June 8, 18:00; Kølsters Tolv Haner, Rantzausgade 56, Cph N)

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COMING UP SOON

For this occasion, the creativity of several markets will fill up the street, while various food trucks will bring their specialties and good live music will entertain visitors (June 4, 08:00-17:00; Stefansgade, Cph N) ALESSANDRA PALMITESTA

SCHOOLS

3 - 9 June 2016

Move to DK

Your practical guide when moving to Denmark

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THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

3 - 9 June 2016

How a special relationship has developed with the Italy in the south ALESSANDRA PALMITESTA

INCE THE Danes themselves like to refer to their country as the ‘Italy of the North’, there is no doubt they fell in love with an image of Italy that is associated with something positive. Danes have always been fascinated by Italian lifestyle, culture and goods. As a result, bilateral trade relations between Denmark and Italy are extremely dynamic. Regardless of the financial crisis, exports have remained steady at 5 billion euros – in both directions. “We are satisfied and excited spectators of the vibrant interactions between the two countries, thanks to tourism, trade and cross-investments,” Italian ambassador Stefano Queirolo Palmas told the Copenhagen Post Weekly at his residence near Amalienborg. “It is an ancient, traditional and consolidated relationship between two member countries of the European Union, and bilateral relations are particularly dynamic.” A pleasant invasion ITALY remains a favourite holiday destination amongst Danish tourists. Between 600,000 and 650,000 Danes spend at least five days there every year – roughly a ninth of the entire population. “It is a discreet and very

pleasant invasion: a tourism of quality that seeks not just the art cities, but original destinations, reviving forgotten small villages that are often depopulated,” said Palmas. “It is a very loyal form of tourism. Once Danes fall in love with a place, they help to bring it to life by buying a property, bringing an intimate circle of family and friends and forming little colonies. It is a kind of tourism with an added value that has beneficial effects.” A virtuous circle ALTHOUGH the reverse flow is much lower – only 45,000 to 50,000 Italians visit Denmark every year – the Italian presence in the country is getting stronger, especially in agribusiness. Since 2009, Italy has been number one in Denmark, and consumption continues to grow year by year. “We are witnessing an exceptional dynamism,” continued Palmas. Børsen, the old stock exchange in Copenhagen, hosts big events like Barolo & Friends and Barolo & Brunello, and every time the ticket price is more expensive and the queue longer.” In November, the high-quality grocery store chain Eataly will open a store in the basement of Illum, which is currently being renovated by Italian craftsmen. “It will please Danes looking to replicate their Italian experience on their last trip, who are already anticipating their next one,” he said. “It’s a virtuous circle.”

Foul-weather friend PALMAS was keen to stress how trade between the countries is steady and based on long-term investments. For example, the Danish business community kept its faith in Italy during the difficult times of the financial crisis. “Recently, Maersk has invested several hundred million in a new hub for refrigerated merchandise to be sold in the western Mediterranean, and at Vado Ligure, near Genoa, in a dock mooring, which is the only one in Italy for the enormous container ships of the latest generation,” he enthused. Additionally, Carlsberg, Danish Crown, Arla and Vestas all have substantial interests in the country. Likewise, there are significant direct foreign investments by Italian groups in Denmark, including Cementir Holding grey cement subsidiary Aalborg Portland, which is a big employer in the north Jutland city; Grimaldi Group, which has made a huge investment in road construction in the area around Esbjerg; and Technogym, which controls 60 percent of the fitness machine market. Building the future THE ITALIAN community in Denmark has more than doubled in the last five years – primarily due to a flow of specialists and researchers who occupy positions within academia, private research and think-tanks. The intense exchange of highly-skilled human

HASSE FERROLD

More than bilateral relations, the friendship is rooted in humanity

Ambassador Palmas pictured with Greek counterpart Eleni Sourani

capital is evidence of strong scientific collaboration. “Italian-Danish co-operation in scientific, cultural, academic, and technological fields is like a small probe that will show us how the world will be in 20-30 years,” said Palmas. “These sectors will make the future one of not only bilateral relations but of humanity.” Sharing a common heritage THE RESIDENCE of the Italian ambassador is an historic investment located close to Amalienborg. It is open to guided tours and, surprisingly, it is also possible to rent the dining hall – even for private celebra-

tions – providing the catering is Italian cuisine! “We think that we are more curators rather than owners and more caretakers than residents of a common heritage that describes the parallel development of the two countries over the past 300 years,” explained Palmas. On June 2, Italy will celebrate its Republic Day, and the Italian Embassy has planned multiple celebrations at six different Danish locations in Copenhagen, Århus, Odense, Esbjerg, Aalborg and the Faroe Islands. In this way, Italy will disseminate its culture, foster tourism and captivate an even larger enthusiastic audience.

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17 Switching on the beer nozzles at the industrial estate COMMUNITY

3 - 9 June 2016

DAVID MCQUILLING

It’s hard to make drinking on an industrial estate look in any way respectable, but somehow Danske Ølentusiaster have managed it with the Copenhagen Beer Festival. Taking place from May 19-21 at Lokomotivværkstedet – a massive former railway shed in the south of Copenhagen – the beer festival attracted over 60 brewers and an untold number of guests keen to sample their wares.

The size of the venue thinned the numbers of those guests out somewhat and made the event look slightly less spectacular. However, they all gathered round to watch this group of men making very loud noises whilst pouring liquid nitrogen into a keg

A little corner of Somerset set out its stall with The Cider House – headed by Somerset native Duncan McArthur (right) and his wife Rikke Høst (left) – serving up all manner of premium ciders imported from his homeland accompanied by a substantial block of mature cheddar.

Who nicked my pint?

These three are known as The Mayor, The Psychopath and The Nun. And there were rumours of a seven-foot panda on the loose

Hats off to the dedication at the Schiøtz stand. No surprise to learn they do a great IPA!

Danish girls Christina Rasmussen, Anna Nielsen, Elise Bach and Kisine Feldunt disposing of one of their ten samples

US honeymooners Craig and Maria Scutro: over the moon, and is that a honey-fermented brew?

American heroes Trey Astbury, Amit Jagwani and Josh Buma. Something tells us this wasn’t their first beer festival

INOUT:FILM

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

Has its moments, but even Nell had more to say MARK WALKER FILM EDITOR

MONEY MONSTER Dir: Jodie Foster; US thriller, 2016, 98 mins; George Clooney, Jack O’Connell, Julia Roberts, Dominic West, Giancarlo Esposito, Caitriona Balfe PREMIERED JUNE 2 PLAYING NATIONWIDE

E’VE SEEN a lot of money movies of late: Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, Adam Mckay’s The Big Short, HBO’s Too Big to Fail and the excellent 99 Homes that honed in on corruption within the housing market. Jodie Foster’s Money Monster is closest perhaps to the latter in that it sympathetically champions the plight of the average Joe, but does so by taking a more reductive perspective on the evils that corporations, bankers and stock brokers do. Not specifically about the crash, it trains its sights instead on ‘the system’, being rigged as it is to benefit the lawless 1 percent.

AT CINEMAS

3 - 9 June 2016

OWABUNGA dudes. You might not have been feeling the Michael Bay-produced Ninja Turtles movie from a couple of years back – certainly very few people outside Hasbro toy manufacturers were. This week there’s a slice of sequel pizza in the oven: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of The Shadows. Can the heroes in a half-shell right the wrongs of their previous outing? Anyone care? Also out this week is the weepy Me Before You starring Khaleesi herself (Emilia Clarke) – albeit without her dragons. The film has still been drawing some fire, however, for its alleged contrivances in depicting the disabled lead character. Those eager for a sniffle should note the film has earned only

Delivery for Mr Gates! IN A LIVE television program called ‘Money Monster’ on a network that apes Fox News, Lee Gates (Clooney) advises viewers which stocks are hot or not – when to buy shares and when to sell them. He does so in the manner of Sean Hannity with a comedy wardrobe that he uses for hip-hop dance skits and the like. It’s deliberately painful to watch. The work environment is such that the show has a high turnover of staff – even his long serving director (Roberts) has had enough of him and taken a job with a rival network, without telling him. Today’s show is different however. This broadcast is interrupted by Kyle (O’Connell), who as a delivery man sneaks onto the set carrying a gun and an explosive vest loaded with Semtex. Taking Gate’s advice from a previous broadcast, Kyle had used all his savings to buy shares in a company called Ibis that immediately lost their value – and left him penniless. Forcing Gates to wear the vest and holding him hostage live on air, Kyle demands answers about what happened to his money.

Good delivery from our Jack ALTHOUGH the film is contemporary, there is a distinctly ‘70s vibe to the energy and photography that recalls classic cinema of that period such as Dog Day Afternoon and, in particular, Network. The cast are all generally good – and it’s great to see Roberts on form again. She does a lot with what little she has to work with, which is mostly reacting to the unfolding events. However, it’s O’Connell (Unbroken, ’71) who steals it. Fired up and fullblooded, the young Derby

lukewarm reviews thus far. Worth mentioning, if you happen to read Danish subtitles, is Hsiao-Hsien Hou’s The Assassin. The film has had critics fawning over its photography, its martial arts choreography and slow-burn political drama since its screening in Cannes last year. It’s showing in Denmark at selected cinemas including Grand Teatret and Empire Bio. This week’s final release is Jodi Foster’s fourth feature as director, Money Monster, which is reviewed this issue. Over at Cinemateket, there’s a retrospective for the Polish master Krzystof Kieslowski that will run over the next couple of months and kicks off tonight (2nd) at 21:45 with the morally complex, multi award-winning indictment of capital punishment, A Short

Film About Killing. That’s followed on Sunday at 19:15 by the brilliant Blind Chance – which was less successfully remade as Sliding Doors. There’s also a fascinating series on Iran 1960-90, which attempts to reveal this period of the country’s unknown cultural history through a program of rare films throughout June. Mostly presented with English subs, things kick off on Saturday with two films by celebrated director Abbas Kiarostami: Where is the Friend’s Home? at 14:15 and The Journey at 21:00 (dfi. dk/Filmhuset). Alternatively, if you prefer crass over class, you can head over to Huset (huset-kbh.dk) on Saturday at 19:30 and enjoy ‘70s schlockfest Squirm – in which millions of man-eating worms take over rural America. (MW)

It’s like that scene from Syriana ... minus the tension, intrigue and moral ambiguity

lad continues to forge an impressive path through Hollywood. Sadly so far though, the films tend to be less deserving of him than he is of them. Didactic delivery all round THE FILM’S material is expertly handled; the overall sweep of the story is well structured (if doggedly conventional) and it is performed well. But yet crucial elements are lacking. The dialogue is didactic, often telling us what is going on and what is about to happen.

The characters lack flavour too. They voice their thoughts out-loud – and while a cast and director of this calibre can (and do) still make a scene fly, they can’t make it soar. Money Monster is at times affecting, sporadically witty and skips along at an engaging pace – but it’s sloppy with its credibility. It simply doesn’t have the substance or complexity to rival its contemporaries as social commentary nor does it deliver a thriller punch that might sustain its life beyond this cinema run.

‘LAMPEDUSA IN WINTER’ DOCUMENTARY OF THE MONTH JUNE 2nd-8th. A tiny community at the island of Lampedusa is engaged in a desperate fight for dignity and solidarity as it has become the African gateway to Europe. We present some 50 films with English dialogue or subtitles every month. See what’s on at cinemateket.dk CINEMATEKET / GOTHERSGADE 55 / CINEMATEKET.DK

INOUT:TV

3 - 9 June 2016

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

TOP GEAR BBC ENT, EP 1: FRI 22:00; EP 2: TUE 22:00

PICK OF THE WEEK

HE RETURN of the postJeremy Clarkson Top Gear has been eagerly anticipated given that it features a brand-new presenting line up – with motormouth Chris Evans taking the lead and actor Matt LeBlanc bringing up the rear. Admist rumours of a feud between the two co-stars and an inordinate amount of pressure to deliver, the first nerve-strewn epi-

Following in the footsteps of ‘Cuckoo’ and ‘Episodes’, US/UK collaborations are all the rage

FANS OF Game of Thrones might see some irony in Richard Madden succeeding onscreen dad Sean Bean as Mellors the wheelbarrow pusher in another feature-length drama version of Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Kings of the north! Northern England is one of the settings for the return of Top Gear, but Chris Evans has resisted the urge to recruit his old pal Gazza. Given their fondness for the lash, it would have only ended up with more cars in the lake.

Gazza’s been busy co-producing the 2015 biopic Gascoigne, and it’s a “vanity project” about the 1990 World Cup, according to the Daily Telegraph that completely ignores his story of “self-destruction and victimisation, of exploitation and venality, of cruelty and penury”. Lemmy meanwhile remembers the Motorhead frontman who passed away earlier this year. Made in 2010, it documents his contribution to music.

Elsewhere, we’ve got S2 of Forbryldsen rip-off Shetland (DR1, Mon 22:30); US sci-fi series Stitchers (K5, Sun 20:00) and The Whispers (K5, Sun 21:00) are mostly absurd; David Guelta (SVT2, Thu 22:50) is in charge of the Euro 2016 warm-up; The Fear of 13 (DR2, Tue 20:45) and Lyme Disease – a Silent Epidemic (DR2, Tue 23:05) will give you the creeps; and Her Majesty’s Prison: Aylesbury (TV2, Sun 00:05) is strictly an inside job. (BH)

Establish he’s a warrior and not to be messed with and ...

SVT1, Sat 22:30 Lady Chatterley’s Lover

THE NEW eight-hour miniseries reboot of the popular novel by Alex Haley – a New York Times bestseller – is set to reinvigorate one of the most well-known slave stories in recent American literature. Available on HBO Nordic since Tuesday, it’s a brutal tale of how one man, Kunta Kinte (Mal-

JFA.JP

SPORT OF THE WEEK Eurosport, Sat & Sun 15:00 French Open finals

K6, Thu June 2, 20:30 England vs Portugal

FILM OF THE WEEK

DR1, Fri 21:25 Taken 2

chi Kirby) – shackled deep in the galleys of a slave ship – journeys from defiant African warrior to downtrodden american slave, and how his family lineage is irreparably affected thereafter. Although uncomfortable viewing at times, its theme of residual hope promises to uplift the series’ new generation of viewers. ANNA CLARKE

THEFA.COM

YANN CARADEC

IN THE calm before the storm that is Euro 2016 we have a quiet week of sport that kicks off with England vs Portugal. Just hours later, Denmark is starting its ‘Euros’ – the Kirin Cup over in Japan (see page 4) – with a game against Bosnia. K6 is showing delayed coverage. Elsewhere, we’ve got the finals of the French Open and the X Games (all week on DR3, from Fri 23:00). (BH)

a love interest (slavery’s insufficient for Trump voters)

sode was greeted with a mixed bag of reviews after airing on Sunday. Some of the unforgiving twitterati have eloquently branded it ‘flop gear’ and one particularly merciless Guardian reviewer described it as “so boring it barely exists”. Episode one – which sees Evans and LeBlanc driving Reliant three-wheelers from London to Blackpool – might just be early teething problems though as the new cast find their grounding, independent of their former predecessors’ shadow. ANNA CLARKE

ALSO NEW

ROOTS

COMING SOON

SVT4, Fri 00:10 The Courier

DR3, Wed 22:00

Henry’s Crime

K6, Fri 19:10 Kirin Cup: Bosnia vs Denmark

WHEN Taken 2 is the week’s most acclaimed film on IMDB, you know you’re in trouble. With 4.5, The Courier, a crime thriller starring Mickey Rourke, might have the site’s lowest ever score. They’ve got strong competition from Henry’s Crime (any relation to the Henry’s Dream festival?) that stars Keanu Reeves as a man who wants to rob the bank he was falsely accused of robbing. (BH)

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