Last Week in Denmark (08.01 - 15.01) Episode 1 Year 3
Great Prayer Day; Turkish language; Lower inflation
Editor HQ
Happy New Year! Thank you for being part of our family so far, and we hope that you will continue our relationship into the new year. We promise to deliver an even better newsletter moving forward and surprise you with every new edition. 2023 will be a milestone for our publication, as we have applied for public funding to produce news written by and about our community.
New language edition: During the winter break, our family got bigger. Turkish joined us as the fifth language edition. Unlike the other language editions, Turkish wasn’t a planned addition. A Turkish-expats association reached out to us to ask if they could translate our newsletter into their language. From then until they joined our family, it was only a matter of time. The Turkish edition will be managed by editor Çiçek Eriş, a translator from Istanbul who moved to Copenhagen in 2021.
Focus on: Adams Bakery and Cafe in Aalborg. Run by a Romanian family, it is the only place in the city where you can get a taste of home. The bakery specializes in made-to-order cakes and pastries from traditional recipes from around the world. They take orders from anywhere in Denmark, (being mindful that the further away, the larger the order should be).
This is not paid advertising. You probably have seen that bakeries are struggling at the moment and we would like to ensure that a place where you can get international sweet recipes stays open.
Internship opportunity: Our partner organization, the Aalborg Institute for Development, is looking for interns for their offices in Aalborg and Copenhagen. Some positions can also be fully or partially remote. If you would like to gain experience in grant applications, project writing and implementation, marketing, social media management, sales, recruitment & HR, and event management, then apply here before the 27th of January.
Updates from the team: We say thank you to Iustin Gherman and Oana Elena Tănase for being part of the Romanian edition team. Their contribution to our mission “to empower people with information” will not be forgotten.
Danish Politics HQ
According to a recent survey, the approval rating for the current government coalition (consisting of Socialdemokratiet, Venstre, and Moderaterne) has decreased from 50.1% to 47.2%, primarily due to a decline in support for Venstre, which lost 2.4%. Outside of the government, SF (Socialists) has become the second-largest party in Denmark (11%) and Liberal Alliance the largest “blue party” (10.3%).
Danish Citizenship, Integration and Immigration Laws
In this space, I will write about the activity of the three main bodies that have the biggest impact on our life in Denmark: the Ministry of Immigration and Integration and the two committees from the Danish Parliament (Integration and Immigration; Citizenship). I will also keep an eye on the activity of the Danish Immigration Service, the Hjemrejsestyrelsen, the National Integration Council and SIRI (Agency for International Recruitment and Integration).
The Integration and Immigration Committee (UUI) works with law proposals within integration, asylum and refugees, immigration, radicalization, and extremism. They are also the ones that control the activity of the Ministry of Immigration and Integration. The committee is led by the social democrat MP Birgitte Vind. Out of the 29 members, 9 come from international-friendly parties, and 4 come from the far-right.
The Citizenship Committee (IFU) has the following activity: process the two citizenship laws proposed every year by the Ministry of Immigration and Integration (even if you fulfill all the conditions, the Danish Parliament needs to approve your citizenship application). The committee also has the power of dispensation (in case you don’t fulfill certain conditions). The leader of the committee is the far-right (Nye Borgerlige) MP Mikkel Bjørn. Out of the 17 members, 4 come from international-friendly parties, and 3 come from the far-right.
The new chairman of the committee has already made a dangerous statement “that the country of origin of the application will be considered when assessing the citizenship application” and therefore, applicants coming from Muslim countries will be discriminated against. However, the other members of the committee have made it clear that he will not have any real influence.
Statement from the Minister of Immigration and Integration with regards to refugees who lost their resident permits despite having the education needed for Denmark: “The government will grant the right to continued residence for certain refugees who have shown that they want to embrace Denmark”.
Law proposals and ideas
The “Great Day of Prayer” debate: The bishops of the Danish Church attempted to convince Church Minister Louise Schack Elholm to keep “The Great Day of Prayer” as a national holiday. They failed, as the minister reminded them that the government makes the rules for the church.
The government conditioned the participation of the other political parties into the new defense agreement. They need to support the removal of “The Great Day of Prayer” as a national holiday.
Nye Borgerlige, Dansk Folkeparti and Enhedslisten proposed a referendum regarding the “Great Prayer Day”, but failed to garner more support in the Parliament.
Some trade unions are planning to vote against the new collective agreement if this law is proposed.
The Ministry of Finance announced that the state treasury will collect 3.2 billion DKK per year more as a result.
The government has already proposed the law to remove “Great Day of Prayer” 2024 (Friday, 26th April) as a national holiday. You should receive 0.45% from your yearly salary for working on that day. The law will now be debated in the Danish Parliament.
The political arena
“For the lower class, politics is as intimate as the first time you kiss someone, while the privileged elites can avoid politics.” said French star writer Édouard Louis on Deadline. You can watch his interview in English here.
“Sometimes regulation is needed to create equality.”, said the minister for equality Marie Bjerre. This statement is interesting because she comes from Venstre (Liberal Party) where “free choice” is king.
The leader of Nye Borgerlige (far-right) Pernille Vermund will step down at the party congress in October 2023 and retire from political life at the end of the MP mandate. She has led the party since its creation. The most likely next leader seems to be Lars Boje Mathiesen.
Danish Economy HQ
8.7% inflation in December: The second-month in a row of declining inflation. However, it is still at a very high level, which means that interest rates will continue to grow. Not the best time for people with loans. On Capital.com you can read (in English) an interesting analysis about the trends for inflation in Denmark.
Decline in exports: There has been a steady decrease in Danish exports over the past three months, with November 2022 being the latest month to show this trend. Exports play a crucial role in the Danish economy, providing employment for 900,000 people. A significant decline in exports in 2023 could have detrimental effects on the country's economy.
2,834 companies went bankrupt in 2022, resulting in the loss of 13,700 jobs. The construction industry was the most affected. The highest number since 2010. Why? Many companies had to pay back the corona loans in 2022. It seems that the corona loans saved a lot of companies with bad economies.
Is your company close to bankruptcy? Use the EU-funded free service Early Warning which offers advice on how to avoid it and strengthen your company.
A 2000 DKK tax-free check was sent to 300,000 people in Denmark. Who? People receiving early pension (førtidspension), senior pension, early retirement (efterløn), or flexible benefits (fleksydelse) in March 2022.
The market
It is cheaper now to buy a used car. Expect price changes downwards also for new cars in 2023.
It is cheaper to buy a house or an apartment. An average house has lost up to 300,000 DKK in value. However, in 13 municipalities (out of 98) the price has actually gone up. You can see the map on the linked article.
The overall gas consumption in Denmark has been reduced by 37% in 2022.
Jyske Bank and Danske Bank customers will get money on their savings from 1st February.
Daily Life in Denmark HQ
6 months prison for racism: A 55-year old man from Gentofte, former local candidate of Nye Borgerlige (far-right), was sentenced to half a year of prison after sending hate emails for more than three years to Muslims and Jews. The sentence was given under section 266b of the Criminal Code.
Healthcare
Medical treatment for suicidal thoughts: Medicinrådet (The Medical Council) will decide soon if they approve a new form of treatment for suicidal people who have been admitted to the Psychiatry emergency room. The new treatment is called Spravato, which is a nasal spray containing the substance esketamine. Several trials have shown that patients feel better after taking this medicine.
If you have such thoughts please call the helpline on 70 201 201.
Climate
Ozone layer: The United Nations has reported that the ozone layer will undergo significant healing by 2040, with a complete recovery anticipated by 2066. This is a result of the Montreal Protocol of 1989, which phased out the use of ozone-depleting CFCs worldwide. The ozone layer serves as a shield against harmful UV radiation from the sun.
Culture, Religion and Royals
Copenhagen Cowboy Review in English on The Spool (Danish TV Series on Netflix)
The Hans Christian Andersen Award (the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children's books) will no longer receive support from the Queen of Denmark. Why? The jury committee for the 2024 award is led by Russian illustrator Anastasia Arkhipova.
Following international pressure, the Russian illustrator decided to step down as jury committee leader.
The regional TV station from the capital region, TV2 Lorry, is rebranded as TV2 Kosmopol.
European Union HQ
Germany: The energy giant RWE has purchased the village of Lützerath in order to bulldoze it and make way for coal mining. However, for almost two years, climate activists have occupied the village to prevent it. Now, the police have started to forcefully remove the climate activists. Greta Thunberg will join the climate activists to stop the coal mine.
Lithuania has launched an information campaign to prepare its citizens in the event of an emergency.
Europe’s largest deposit of rare earth metals was discovered near Kiruna (North Sweden). Rare earth minerals are essential to many high-tech manufacturing processes and are used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, portable electronics, microphones and speakers.
Opportunities for self-development
The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge: If you’re aged 16-25 and have an innovative tech idea for a business, record a 60-second pitch video on your phone and submit it with your application for a chance to win 11,000 euro.
Announcement Board
Opportunity: You want to organize a literature meeting for children but lack the funding to invite an author to participate. Make an application to the Statens Kunstfond before 17th January. Or if you want to organize one for adults, there is funding for that too. The same deadline.
Alternatively, you'd like to open an artist exhibition space. Deadline 19th January. Maybe you are an artist and you need money for your next great work of art, or at least money to disseminate your current portfolio? Deadline 19th January.
Irish Coffee Day: On 25th January, between 17 and 18, you can get a free Irish Coffee at the following locations in Aalborg, Odense and Copenhagen:
Aalborg - The Irish House, Cafe Frederiksberg and John Bull Pub
Odense - Storms Pakhus, Vognhjulet and Askepot
Copenhagen - Galionen Nyhavn 23, Broens Gadekøkken, Telefontårnet Kongens Nytorv, Axelborg Bodega, City Pub København, The Dubliner, The Shamrock Inn, Freddy’s Bar and The Globe Irish Pub
International media about Denmark HQ
World record: Two Danish brothers set the Guinness World Record for the largest Pokemon card collection.
The first year without bank robberies in Denmark: The international media has written about this achievement, such as The Guardian and CNN.
The famed Danish restaurant Noma, which has claimed the title of world’s top restaurant several times, will shut down to change into “a pioneering test kitchen" dedicated to “food innovation and the development of new flavors.”
Scientists in Denmark have created the world’s smallest “vinyl” record, so tiny that it can barely be seen by the naked human eye.
An amazing article about the new trends in Danish design published by New York Times.
“Denmark, where GPs get the respect they deserve” according to Medical Republic
“So, what’s your last name? Registering in Denmark when your name doesn’t fit the system”, by Pratik Hariharan
When you arrive in Denmark, there are a few formalities you need to complete to register your presence in the country. All immigrants need to apply for a CPR (Central Person Register) number. The CPR is your Danish social security number and it gives you access to health services, opening a bank account, renting an apartment etc. Needless to say, it is mandatory to get one if you live here.
It is fairly self-explanatory how to obtain a CPR number. You can read more about the process on the Central Person Register website. Non-EU citizens, however, also need a residence card to legally live and work in Denmark. The system which issues these ‘pink cards’ requires a first name and a last name clearly mentioned on your passport. The classification between what is a first and last name is widely diverse. It all depends on how last names came into existence and every country has a different story.
In Denmark, the most common type of surname is patronymic. Historically, surnames used to be based on the father’s given name. According to FamilySearch: “For example, Niels Andersen was the son of a man named Anders. If Niels had a son named Iver, the son would be known as Iver Nielsen (Iver son of Niels) and his brothers would be surnamed Nielsen, while his sisters would be known as Nielsdatter (daughter of Niels).” This is no longer how Danes choose surnames, however. By the early 1900s, most people had adopted a permanent family name to pass on to future generations.
I come from a South Indian Tamil family and I do not have a surname. As FamilySearch explains: “Tamil names commonly follow this pattern: Initial (Village name), Initial (Father's name), First Name, Caste name.” In my case, my name V.H. Pratik would be Villivakkam (village) Hariharan (father) Pratik (first name). So when I applied for my residency as Pratik Hariharan, which is how my name appears on my passport, the process was delayed. The Danish system is currently not set up to handle applications where there is no last name.
So what can you do to solve this problem?
You can choose to say “No Surname” (Ej Efternavn) on your application. This means that you will be registered as “Name Ej Efternavn” and this will appear on official documents. But expect delays in decisions to be made in such cases. You can request a letter from SIRI, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration, to say that your application is being processed if required.
You can ‘adopt’ a last name the next time you have to renew your passport. When I applied for a renewal, I was told that I could have taken my partner’s last name – but this could be a subjective thing depending on your nationality.
I hope these tips are helpful for fellow expatriates with different types of names. Do not hesitate to call the SIRI helpline to ask questions; I found them to be very helpful. And I was told that in future, the application system will be designed to accommodate more diversity.