Den Danske Tidende : Imperium og Kongeriget &c.

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Government muzzles trade union strike powers

Shot across union bows, Unions outraged at "attack on workers"​

ELSINORE - The coalition government has succeeded in rushing through radical emergency legislation designed to severely curtail the right to strike, as well as trade union powers to initiate industrial action, in a clear indication of the government's determination to slap down the "awkward squad" of militant union leaders and get to grips with worsening industrial relations.

Following a lengthy emergency session of the Folkhuset which dragged on into the early hours of this morning, the government passed the Strike (Emergency Powers) Act by relying on its parliamentary majority, together with 12 Social Democrats from the "Purple Club", a wing within the party supporting greater free-market liberalisation.

The Act gives decree-like powers to the Statsminister who has the power to over-rule any strike and even summarily decide, following cabinet consultation, if certain sectors (eg. public utilities, transport) or any specific cases of strike action, are to be banned, if they are deemed a threat to the "safety, health and well-being of the general public" or if industrial action is a "threat to national interest or security".

The most obvious aspect of the new law is that it instantaneously removes the powers of trade unions to declare unilateral strikes, seen by many as a traditional right of Danish labour unions. Until today, any union could legally call its workers out on strike within 48 hours without a members ballot.

The new Act now states that unions will need to present a case for any proposed industrial action to its members by secret ballot on a "one member, one vote basis", and that a majority of 55% will be required for it to be legitimate. Any ballot period will need to exist for 21 days from beginning to end.
In extreme cases, any union found to have broken the law can have all its funds sequestered and assets seized.

Furthermore, individual workers will have a right not to join a union, if they wish, something until now widely seen to have been abused by unions who commonly "pressgang" workers into union membership.

Following the passage of the law, Statsminister Hillerod was swift to declare the new act as a major reform.

"This is a great day for democracy and a victory for common sense and democracy. It also brings us into line with most other states like us. Recent events have shown us that the old law had stopped functioning and was open to abuse by reckless union rabble-rousers and demogogues. It was not a healthy state of affairs and it's through the gaping loopholes that the worst elements of the unions have sought to drag this country to its knees. Not any more".

Even so, any strike can still be over-ruled, despite a democratic ballot being held, on a case by case basis and reacting to events at a given time.

DUCTU, the national trade union organisation representing most unions within the kingdom, was at the forefront of the chorus of condemnation against the new law, and immediately indicated its anger at the new law, slamming it as dictatorial and an infringement of
the rights of Danish workers to exercise their rights to withdraw their labour in protest, an attack on freedom, and a lurch towards dictatorship. They have promised to initiate a court challenge to the law.

In a statement read on the steps of Congress House, the headquarters of DUCTU, they said:

"This is a black day for Danish workers, for our unions, and for Danish democracy. This government is removing the one way that our members, from every rank and file, have to show their anger, unhappiness, and
dissent. Rather than address the root causes of this and - give our workers respect, decent wages, quality of life, improved conditions, tackle inflation, unemployment - the government has merely sought to crush us in the guise of being clean and above board - which they haven't been. They've played dirty. So now they eat away a little more at democracy and use the recent strikes and economic woes to seize powers - a slippery slope towards an authoritarian state... [the] right to strike acts as a useful and legal safety valve to vent unhappiness and indicate that all is not well. Now that's been cruelly stripped away from us, we fear that that pressure will build and blow up in our face some other way".

The opposition Social Democrats, who have been keen to keep their distance from the militant unions, expressed similar sentiments, generally believing that the new act is too draconian and is likely to enrage opponents further.
Danish businesses though have broadly welcomed the new law, with a common view that it might stem the loss of money and foster a better climate for commerce to thrive and for the economy to tackle its recession.

 

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Strike laws are "crisis of confidence" - Ex-Statsminister Jensen

Knee-jerk and panicked decision, public divided on Act​

AALBORG - The former Statsminister of Danmark, Poul Jensen, launched a stinging broadside against the Hillerod administration following the passage of the Strike Act, claiming the law is act of desperation, as the government flounders in the face of industrial strife and economic woes.
Jensen made the comments as guest speaker at the annual Moder og Barn Foundation conference in the eastern Danish city of Aalborg, where he used the occasion to replace his intended speech to address criticism of the new legislation curbing industrial action and labour union power.

"I'm not comfortable with this new law at all. It seems to be have been forced through the Folkhuset whilst the normal processes of democracy have been snootily waved away with a autocratic wave of the hand. [The] law is far-reaching and has elements that are contrary to the Danish sense of fair play and accommodation", he claimed.

His comments seem to partially echo the results of a snap opinion poll by this newspaper which shows a divided population with 52-48% in favour of the strike laws, despite recent evidence that the public mood had increasingly shifted towards wanting tougher action to rein in the problematic labour unions.

Jensen continued his scathing attack on the Liberal coalition : "There is no doubt the public want action. I've hardly kept schtum about it - I'm on record for calling for it for sometime now. Because, let us be in agreement here, the Hillerod has been crippled by indecision of a magnificent order in recent times, paralysed by infighting, timidity, and staring a crisis like a hare at car headlights.Three words can summarise them and their conduct - failure, failure, failure".

He singled out Hillerod in particular for his apparent lack of leadership and called on the Statsminister to resign and for fresh elections to be called.

"This government is hardly fit to run a whelk stall, never mind a country. Statsminister Hillerod seems to think after months of being allowing the ship of state to drift and merely react to events than do anything to frame them and take hold, he hopes that by slinging together a clumsy and cack-handed response such as the Strike Act, he'll be OK, when its clear that the new law will cause more problems and is a mere plaster over a gaping wound. It'll please the right in this country and sections of the military who seem to have a nasty habit of interfering, recently, but the law is ill-judged and hasty. Mark my words, this law is a disaster and will cause more problems".

The government dismissed the comments. A spokesman said that Jensen's attack was that of a publicity seeking politician hoping to garner favour with the electorate and that :"

We're damned if we do, damned if we don't. You can't win with him [Jensen]"

 

[Confederal Republics]

Ministry of External Affairs
Commonwealth of Cornavia

While the Commonwealth government understands Danmarks interest in providing basic order and security to its people, we must also express our firm concern over the implications the newly passed Strike Act will have to basic, inalienable rights belonging to Danish citizens, such as freedom of association and self-expression.

It is the fear of the Commonwealth government that the introduction of the Strike Act could effectively lead to a slippery slope of increased government intervention, particularly in light of the ambiguity in restrictions in the powers now rendered to the Danish government.

Regards,
Mr. William Fenner,
Minister of External Affairs

 

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Foreign Minister Westerveld attends Preßburg trade and economy conference​

PREßURG, WIESE - The Danish Foreign Minister, Henrik Westerveld, yesterday attended the first round of talks, hosted in the city of Preßburg, western Wiese, aimed at increasing economic cooperation and free trade with Danmark's immediate neighbours. The talks, attended by delegations from Wendmark, Eiffelland and Wiese, are the first of their kind in recent times between all the states and are a key plank in Danmark's "Nabolagpolitik" (neighbourhood policy).

The formal beginning of the talks follow several months of overtures made between the four states' foreign ministries, though the Danish Statsminister is known to have taken a prominent role in the backchannels on the Danish side.

Westerveld, at a press conference later in the day, said that the talks will discuss the potential for a greater degree of economic cooperation and integration between the four states, though he declined to expand on the details at this stage.

He said: "We have made it clear to all our neighbours for some time now that we desire peace and greater cooperation in many areas in between all nations that border Danmark, and one of these is commerce and the economy. It is a positive step that is beneficial not only to the Danish economy, as well as that of our neighbours. We also believe it goes a long way to fostering peace and prosperity in this corner of Europe".

It is not believed that the scope of the talks will involve military or defence cooperation, given that Danmark is a signatory to the League of Free States Charter, and that that area will not be discussed or effected, but Westerveld did confirm that the Danish delegation is keen on exploring aspects of a non-aggression nature.

"Whilst we are keen on fostering healthy and vibrant inter-national economic ties to our neighbours, I don't believe a healthy economic and business environment, with robust business and investor confidence, will be helped unless the issue of our multilateral military relations are also broached. It doesn't make sense to talk of wanting strong economies and wanting to boost trade and investment if we ignore our political and defence relations as well. Moreso, I'd say that there is a stronger case for this area to be discussed given that two nations - ourselves and Eiffelland - are signatories to each of the two largest military defence alliances in Europe which have a well documented history of conflict, ourselves being members of the League of Free States, Eiffelland a signatory to the European Defence Federation, whilst Wendmark and Wiese practice armed neutrality".

He was also questioned about the collapse of the earlier entry negotiations to the Northern Council, that became mired over the key Danish demand of equal status and parity of the Danish language in official documents, and asked if there was any possibility of restarting those.

"The Northern Council talks were a part of our commitment to developing economic ties, in that specific case couched in historical links as fellow Scandinavians. Northern Council membership would have been a complimentary part to these current negotiations being held here in Preßburg, a 'northern branch' and 'southern branch', if you will. The current Preßburg talks are arguably of greater significance and practical relevance than those held before, but Northern Council membership would have been no less a part of Danish foreign policy. However, unless there was a shift on the recognition of the Danish language, I don't believe that we will be persuing that channel in the near future".

Pressed on whether he believed that the opposing alliance memberships could pose a problem in future economic relations between the parties, Westerveld was upbeat.

"On the contrary. None of the parties want conflict and we have similar aims and goals. If successful, this level of cooperation between a LFS member state, an EDF member state, and two neutrals, is actually a major and positive development in Europe. It's a signal to that peace and prosperity is indeed possible, that we can breach the divides, and that we're all mature enough to work together on areas of mutual interest. Indeed, in some ways, it is a sign of a post-Cold War world".

 

[Socialist Commonwealth]

Union of Communist Workers

We must protest against the Danish governments attacks on workers' rights and extend a notion of solidarity towards the Danish labor unions. Should there be anything that Carentanias largest labor union can do to aid the Danish proletariat, do not hesitate to ask.

 

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Preßburg agreement signed establishing Germanian League​

PREßURG, WIESE - The long-running quartet conference discussing the extent of economic trade with neighbouring Wendmark, Wiese and Eiffelland concluded yesterday with the formal signing of an agreement establishing the Germanian League by heads of state, including His Majesty King Hans Gustav III of Danmark.The treaty must now be ratified by the signatories prior to it coming into force. Danmark will hold five days of parliamentary debates with a following vote of confirmation, which is expected to pass mainly due to the number of seats the coalition commands. Soundings from the opposition Social Democrats indicate that they will also support the passage of the Germanian League Bill.


The agreement was signed amid stunning pomp with the accompaniment of state trumpetters and beaming smiles. The agreement is being seen as unlocking new markets and a significant boost to Danish economic fortunes, as well as a fulfillment of the strategy to engender cooperation with the Danish near abroad.

News of the agreement saw the Danish borse shoot up by 27 points, with clear indications of the widespread support of Danish businesses.

Foreign Minister Westerveld lauded the great achievement.

"This agreement heralds in a new phase in Germanian relations and is an example to other nations in Europe about what can be achieved. I pay tribute to the Danish team, as well as those of our friends in Wiese, Eiffelland and Wendmark, for all their hard work and dedication."

The Foreign Minister explained that the significance of the League was more than just economic, though that is its specific remit.

"[The agreement] brings together formally for the first time in at least several hundred years
the historically connected countries that were once parts of the Holy Germanic Empire into cooperation. We share so many historical bonds which we recognise, and now we can work together for mutual benefit, no longer with constrained by stifling economic barriers. This is all the more momentous as it draws together Danes and Eiffellanders in mutual respect despite our different defence alliance commitments and allegiances. This agreement is unique. We are leading the way in Europe".

However the news was not welcomed in all quarters. Tyskreich dismissed the agreement as "ill fated" due to Danish LFS ties and immediately sought to sever economic links to the signatory countries. But Westerveld waved off the remarks.

"They seem to have a chip on their shoulder, but that's their problem. It's clear, anyway, that the Tysks don't really understand Danish foreign policy nor what the Germanian League is actually about, if they did they may be less immature in their statements. It bears the hallmarks of sour grapes, needing to be the centre of attention, and biting off their nose to spite their face. It's up to the Tysk government if it wants to isolate itself."

Asked what the future held for the League, Westerveld was positive.

"We aim to strengthen the League and maintain the strong consensus-driven decision making. Our government would not be adverse to exploring similar arrangements with other countries".

 

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Military expenditure is "top-heavy" - Social Democrats​

ELSINORE - Christian Gaardsen, the leader of Danish Social Democratic party, has heavily criticised the level of government spending on defence following a think-tank study which claimed that official spending has increased in the last three years despite a severe recession.

Fremtidig, the organisation that conducted the study, claimed that the level of government defence expenditure as a proportion of the total level of spending actually increased from 12% to 14% in real terms in the last three fiscal years. Despite not having the full figures for the current year, they predict that spending will likely only to have decreased for the first time, as economic growth starts to show slow signs of recovery, to around 10.8 -11.1%, still a high level.

The report was seized upon in the weekly Statsminister questions in the Folkehuset by the opposition as proof that the current coalition have been irresponsible and have skewed priorities.

Gaardsen savagely laid into the government's spending commitments amid a stormy confrontation.

"We've experienced one of the worst recessions in recent times and are only tentatively emerging from it. We have seen inflation, job losses, and structural problems with a decline in productivity, yet at no time did the government think that military spending should be reined in and cut, instead allowing it to become bloated. What sort of priorities do this government have? We can't pay for this - it's economically unfeasible."

Facing down further opposition claims that he and the government were running scared of military chiefs who it's claimed are keen to maintain current spending levels to deal with civil disturbances and industrial unrest, Statsminister Hillerod robustly defended the government's record and rubbished the report's findings.

"In case you have failed to notice, and maybe you've been living in a parallel universe to the rest of us, but defence spending has consistently been at a high level for at least the past decade, a legacy of Danish isolationism and, I believe, paranoid tendencies. This is something the Social Democrats have historically supported and that I and the Liberals have been trying to drag Danmark away from. It's interesting that he [Gaardsen] now forgets all that to try to score cheap political points."

However, the Statsminister stated that due to the recent problems experienced by Danmark, further cuts would be put in a moratorium.

"Whilst it is true that due to shrinkage of the general economy the size of military spending does look greater, I aim to cut the level of defence spending on a long term basis. But, as cabinet has already agreed, our armed forces need to be fully able and flexible enough to be able to keep the Danish people safe from the more radical elements in our society. Let us not underestimate the very real threat that these elements pose to national security, so it's important to stick to our commitments in the short term at least. In terms of external relations, although we are members of the LFS and some might argue we can rely on our partners for defence, this is not quite so. We also have to maintain our own defence capabilities too- it's not as simple as expecting others to do all our work for us. So to honour our commitments we need to maintain our independent defence."

Returning to the question of internal defence, the Statsminister said that intelligence reports indicated that factions of the radical hard-left Ny Venstre trade union group had been seeking to import illegal arms into Danmark through the Vesthavet (West Sea) and that coastguards had intercepted several boats in recent months but that it was unknown how many other shipments had escaped detection.

"In light of these reports, we will be increasing naval activity in the Vesthavet from the naval port of Frederikshavn in our territorial waters and also down the length of the sea between Lorraine and the Papal States. We have to be tough with people who want to hurt us and our way of life".

 

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Statsminister dismisses "hysterical" Tysks

Neutrality questioned; urges honesty​

AABEN-UDEN-MARKEN - The Statsminister has waved off concerns following the imposition of economic tariffs against the Germanian League states by Tyskreich calling it a "hysterical and irrational" act.
Speaking at a press conference in the eastern Danish Rhine town of Aaben-uden-Marken after touring an electronics cooperative, Jens Peder Hillerod gave clear indications that Danmark will not seek to retaliate in response to the Tysk blockade even though there have been calls from some quarters to take reciprocal action.

"All this is stuff and nonsense and it is not in Danmark's interests to escalate this economic storm in a teacup which was never of our making in the first place. Tyskreich seem to be operating a little like a headless chicken and seems to have backed itself into a corner really, which is rather unfortunate for them. Indeed their actions are counterproductive and their grandstanding a little silly as far as Danmark is concerned because, for a start, Tyskreich is not a significant trade partner of ours, so it's of no direct consequence. But I will say that it gives me no pleasure to see any harm to our other three partners in the Germanian League who may be affected more. Either way, I wouldn't have thought it a good move to alienate four countries and cause concern in a range of others".

However the Statsminister questioned the reasoning which prompted Tyskreich to launch the anti-League blockade, namely Danish membership of the League of Free States.

"I appreciate that not everyone likes the LFS - and that includes many Danes as well. However, it's with widespread consensus that Danmark is a moderate nation that has never been of undue concern to most other countries, which makes the recent events all the more bizarre[...]

"Needless to say though, it concerns me that Tysk neutrality is questionable. From the communiques and press reporting here and elsewhere, there seems to a common theme - firstly, a pointed campaign against Danish membership of the League because of our LFS membership and, secondly, a selective obsession to the LFS as an entity in its own right and it's presence in this part of Europe. If their policy is supposedly equally anti-LFS and anti-EDF, why is it that they pointedly do not even mention the EDF in any of their recent statements nor the fact that one of the Germanian League states, Eiffelland, is an EDF member? It hardly seems balanced and I cannot but wonder whether Tyskreich is in reality neutral at all or in reality leans towards or are pro-EDF. They need to be clear on this and what their position is and honest about it. This also applies to other countries too that proclaim official neutrality but in practice lean in the direction of the EDF."

Hillerod also said that it was still official policy to strengthen ties in the North and that the door would remain open to countries like Tyskreich but that countries needed to understand that Danish LFS membership was "non-negotiable".

 

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Germanian League officially established

Unique event in modern Europe​

ELSINORE - The Germanian League came into official existence yesterday in all four signatory countries including Eiffelland, Wendmark and Wiese, heralding a new era of cooperation in Germania and between opposing alliance members.

The establishment comes after the Danish Folkehuset passed an Act last week following parliamentary debate. Although there had been expectations that the opposition Social Democrats would oppose the Bill but that the Liberal-Agrarian coalition would ensure its successful passage through the sheer weight of the numbers they have at their disposal, the recent attempt of Tyskreich to put a dampener on the process drove many Social Democrat members to vote for the Bill increasing the majority in favour so that it passed
467-283.

The League is concerned with developing closer economic ties between the four countries and is being seen as a major success for the Danish government as it seeks to restructure the economy and increase investment and jobs.

The Foreign Minister Henrik Westerveld predicted a bright future for the group with several projects on the horizon. He claimed that:

"We should be proud that four countries can work so well together and overcome the odds. I want this organisation to show the way to the rest of Europe as to how things can be and should be done. Petty ideology and childish rivalries are all too common in Europe but only serve to perpetuate division and serve to hold us back. We show the way forward".

Probed on the recent hysteria coming out of Tyskreich he had little to say:

"It's clearly been shown that if you try to harangue you get nowhere. Indeed the parliamentary vote in favour of the Germanian Bill increased precisely because many Social Democrats didn't like the vitriol from them."

As an indication of healthier relations, Danmark and Eiffelland signed a multi-million kronor project to upgrade transportation links between the two in order to decrease journey times and enable increased trade with a direct knock-on benefit for Wendmark and Wiese. The Eiffellandian port of Lubeck is a major European and Germanian port and its inclusion within the League has been seized on by Danish businesses eager to boost trade potential.

Other News

Armed police were called in to break up a three-day long protest in the town of Fyby, close to Lorrainian Soissons. Around 60 workers had barricaded themselves into an engineering plant in protest about wages and conditions and had held the company's director hostage. Police attempted to negotiate with the workers for seven hours before orders were given to storm the factory. It is understood that rubber bullets were fired at some workers as they hastily tried to set part of the factory on fire, though no one was killed and the company director was freed unharmed. Police made 55 arrests. One other man was caught several hours later around 6 miles away having escaped the factory, though police have issued a warrant for the other four men. Fears are that they may have used country roads to escape over the border in the Lorrainian enclave of Soissons.

 

[Burgesia]

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Ministry of Justice​

The Government of Burgesia commends the Danish police in their handling of the recent industrial relations situation and condemns the contemptable workers for their insolence.

With great experience in dealing with strikes and violence on the part of our native Bemba workers, the Royal Constabulary of Burgesia offers training or assistence to the Danish police in dealing swiftly and effectively with this sort of trade union extremism.


Viscount Dixon
Minister for Justice

 

[Danmark]

Interior Department

Thank you for your comments regarding recent events in Danmark. Due to the delicate nature of the internal dynamics in our country and the high degree of professionalism of our security services, we will respectfully decline your invitation at this current time.

However, we may send a small party to Burgesia to closely study policing methodologies.

 

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Fears of brain-drain - economists​

ELSINORE - Fears have been raised of a 'brain drain' of Danish workers who seek to gain better levels of employment opportunites elsewhere in Europe as Danmark experiences above average unemployment and structural problems, senior economic analysts warned yesterday.

The warning comes after a leaked Finance Department internal memo indicated that unemployment remains stubbornly high at around 9% despite numerous government initiatives to stimulate growth and address the concerns of business leaders.

The recent founding of the Germanian League has also raised concerns in some government circles and amongst sections of the business community that some of the other member states may seek to take advantage of the spirit of liberalised free trade cooperation by going a step further and relaxing the issuing of work permits and loosening time constraints for how long foreign workers can stay encouraging struggling Danish workers and the unemployed to cross over the borders.

Edgar Himmel, Chief Economist at Djurbanken, claimed that times remained tough.

"Many graduates are leaving university to find that there is no work for them at the level to which they have been educated and are frequently finding themselves trapped in underemployment such as having to perform the role of call centre operatives, lower administration and even having to work in menial manufacturing jobs. That's if they manage to get work at all. Indeed, many graduates, as well as all other workers are finding themselves trapped in ghettoes of joblessness especially as the government has cut the public sector. In times past people would have migrated to the cities but even there work is scarce. It's a sign of tough times that the black market and low level criminality is flourishing. Emigration would be a welcome relief for many."

Various countries have their own regulations relating to foreign labour but signs indicate that those with more liberal migrant labour legislation could be attractive. However, this has also raised fears that Danish workers will be exploited by unscrupulous employers in the other states who seek to reduce their wage bills. The news may not also be received well by workers in those member states too especially if they find Danish workers undercutting them.

"We are the sick man of Germania", said Hans Ritter, CEO of EDG, a big business troubleshooter. "Temporarily emigrating to the other states may well be a case of "the grass being greener" to some extent because we don't really know the reception they'll recieve. The government is going to have to do a lot more to tackle this and stimulate private sector growth. I'd start by severely slashing business taxes and turning all of Danmark into one low tax, high skill, business-friendly enterprise zone. Thinking outside of the box is increasingly what is necessary".

The government, it is understood, has been talking to senior business leaders and economists in an attempt to iron out a concerted drive to pump life into the economy. There have even been rumours of the government having to seek a financial bail-out from foreign bankers. But this is seen as a last resort.

Ritter again: "We can become a vibrant economy once again, but it's going to take some radical decisions".

 

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Questions raised over LFS membership​

ELSINORE - The cabinet is split over Danmark's membership of the League of Free States with several senior figures calling for withdrawal and reorientation, according to Ms. Elke Haversrup, Minister for Regional Development and member of the junior Agarian Party coalition partner.

The revelations came during a wide ranging interview for an edition of 'Ugn' due to be aired on Sunday, following considerable speculation in the print media and rumours of mounting disquiet in the coalition against Statsminister Hillerød.

Ms. Haverup, number two in the Agrarian Party and seen as a key ally of the former leader and Vice Statsminister, Svend Fulk, claimed that there had been numerous discussions over several months relating to membership of the LFS with signs that some of the Statsminister's own Liberal Party were concerned at the unease that continuing alliance was causing to the country's regional relations.

"Many of our neighbours are uneasy at having an LFS signatory on their doorstep especially given the questionable record of some it's members, and that this country might be some sort of 'Trojan horse' in the midst of Germania", she claimed.

She added: "There has been concern that although nothing untoward has affected our regional relations so far, there is always that potential. Some of us have asked ourselves many times what message we are sending out and what it is that we want to be, and I have to admit that LFS membership continues to be a sticking point. This issue seems to be gathering momentum in cabinet".

Critics have always pointed out that Danmark's LFS membership is incongruous as the country is better suited as an EDF nation than one of LFS, and that the country is guilty by association with, many claim, some of the most imperialistic regimes in Europe.

A recent sign of regional unease was the diplomatic spat with Tyskreich which generated more heated words than actions but which, nonetheless, at least temporarily scuppered wider foreign policy goals in terms of the rejection of the application of Northern Council membership. Signs also are that several of the foreign ministries of the Germanian League, notably Wendmark, are uncomfortable.

There was no official comment from the government or from either of the two coalition parties' press offices, but it is widely acknowledged that the Statsminister and several of his allies, slammed as 'hawkish' by opponents, are vociferous defenders of the LFS. Just last month Hillerød praised the LFS for the maintenance of the "longest period of comprehensive peace and stability modern Europe has known".

Other News

.Foreign Minister Westerveld indicated that he would welcome the accession of Franken to the Germanian League, following comprehensive high-level talks between the GL and a delegation from the northern Germanian kingdom. He added that "We will talk with anyone with similar goals as our own, no matter what side of the fence they happen to be on in terms of alliance allegiances."

.The Folkehuset Transport Committee discusses potential Danish membership of the Scangermania Express Train Systems Alliance (SETSA), based in Batavia. Recommendations are expected to be published next week.

 

[Polesia]

পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রক
Ministry of External Affairs

With widespread concern about the human rights situation in the members of the League of Free States and strong criticism of the alliance's aggressive, domineering foreign policy, Vangala believes if Danmark withdrew from the LFS it would only have a positive effect on the country's international standing as well as bilateral ties with the People's Republic.

 

[Großlausitz]

Das Auswärtige Amt

Whereas the Kingdom of Franken appreciates the Danish concerns over their regional relations, His Majesty's Government maintains that Danmark shouldn't take this matter too light-heartedly and duly consider its LFS ties. Although there is little doubt over Danmark's compatibility with the EDF from an outsider's point of view, a change of alliance has always huge implications beyond national borders.

 

[Danmark]

Den Danske Tidende
Nationale nyheder i Danmark siden 1714



Westerweld calls for closer Scando-Germanian cooperation ties​

KASTRUP - Danmark's Foreign Minister, Henrik Westerweld, called upon the nations of the Germanian League and the Northern Council to do much more to work constructively together, in a speech to business leaders today.

In what appears to be a concerted drive to put aside recent divisions and the diplomatic row between the two organisations, Westerweld claimed it would be a "myopic folly" for the constituent nations not to work together and identify common ground.

His intervention comes hot off the heels of the recent accession of Franken to the Germanian League, and that of Vistrasia to the Northern League.

"We're all about bringing people and countries together, not throwing up obstacles to our common interests. This has always been our tack. It's clear that the two organisations would achieve far more if they worked together rather than create their own mini-sort of organisational and bureaucratic 'cold war'. This doesn't mean that we'll all agree on everything, but in the grand scheme of things we're not that different."

There has been a certain amount of anger in foreign ministry circles at how Danish membership of the LFS has been used as a convenient scapegoat by some foreign ministries and has damaged Danish interests. The alarm has encouraged opponents of LFS membership to become more vocal of late. It is a well known fact that Statsminister Hillerod is fighting a rearguard action even against some within his own Liberal party as he struggles to sell the advantages of continued membership to an increasingly sceptical public and protect his legacy of signing Danmark to the LFS, for which he is most closely identified, and also to preserve the governing coalition which, say some commentators, has only months left.

"We should be judged on our own merits not those of others. We are Danmark- we're not Oikawa, nor are we Sarmatia and a ready and open- minded distinction should be made. We operate as ourselves and with this in mind, it shouldn't prevent us working to a common purpose of peace, better trade, stability, and breaking down barriers. Contrary to some rumours, [Danmark] is a moderate country. Why else would other moderate countries such as Eiffelland, Wendmark, and Franken work with us? I believe it shouldn't stop there however. I see no good reason why we couldn't also work with other moderates in the Northern Council - Batavia, Vistrasia, and so on. We're all in it together."

 

[Vistrasia]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Commonwealth of Vistrasia considers Danmark to be a peaceful and moderate nation. However it's association with the League of Free States in general and the Oikawan Empire in particular simply cannot be ignored. The historical actions of Oikawa are simply not compatible with the ideals of Vistrasia, and the fact that the current government of Danmark does not seem to have a problem with what has happened in the past or the current political situation in Jizhou is serious reason for concern.

We hope to work for greater cooperation between the Germanian League and the Northern Council, and we value our relations with the states in the Germanian League but we cannot ignore the issue at hand and we cannot ignore how Danmark's position in the League of Free States affects the Germanian League.

 

[Lorraine]

Office of the Controller-General of Commerce

Though we must agree that Danmark's membership in the LFS does constitute some interesting quandries where it concerns diplomatic and trade between our countries, it is not something that cannot be overcome and therefore His Majesty's government would look forward to talks concerning Lorraine's relations with Danmark in particular and perhaps the Germanian League in general.

Nicolas Desmarets
Contrôleur Général des Commerce

 

[Touzen]

Imperial Ministry of War and Foreign Affairs

The Empire of Greater Oikawa considers intervention by entities such as Vistrasia to be obstructive and counter-productive to international understanding and cooperation. Furthermore we will not be lectured on an entirely domestic LFS issue by a government that has no interests in liberated Touyou at all.

The Empire of Greater Oikawa continues to lend its strong support to the people of Danmark and their decision to stand against the political pressure of agitated governments seeking to push forward an agenda of division.

 

[Danmark]

Foreign Office

We welcome the encouraging message from Lorraine. Danmark is keen to formally deepen ties and as an indication of our intentions, we are pleased to confirm that it is the intention of His Majesty's government to seek talks.

Regarding the Germanian League, we shall pass on your interest to our fellow signatory nations at the League's headquarters in Elbebruck, Wendmark/Wiese.