Only in Denmark

URL: http://www.information.dk/288395

After Justice Minister Morten Bødskov’s refusal to review 75 cases in which Denmark may have breached the Human Rights Convention by denying children stay, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner of the Government asks the minister to reverse its decision. Radicale Venstre  agrees with the Commissioner and will now take up the matter with the Minister

Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg, is now criticizing the government as Minister of Justice Morten Bødskov (S) has refused to review cases where children may have been denied residency in Denmark in violation of the ECHR.

“If the authorities have reason to believe that they may have made decisions on an improper basis, the authorities should endeavor to find cases and rectify the mistakes,” says Thomas Hammarberg to Information.

The question of whether a breach of ECHR in cases of residence for children arose after Denmark in summer was sentenced by the European Court of Human Rights in the so-called Osman case.

In this particular case was the Somali girl Sahro Osman refused to return to his family in Denmark, after she unwittingly had been sent to reeducation travel to Kenya, and according to the Strasbourg court was in violation of her Convention protected the right to family life. Since the Immigration Service has identified 75 cases where children in similar circumstances have been refused to return to Denmark, but even if these matters in light of the ECtHR decision in Osman case may have been settled on the wrong basis, Morten Bødskov therefore not launch an review of the cases.

‘As good as you can’

Thomas Hammarberg will find it obvious that “you should investigate the cases thoroughly.” Like Hammarberg’s Commissariat, European Court of Human Rights is under the European council , and Thomas Hammarberg stresses that the international tribunal is a central institution of human rights:

“Strasbourg Court has determined that it was an improper decision to refuse (in the Osman case, Ed.), And if you will take the court’s decision seriously, you should also make sure that you have not made ​​mistakes in similar of cases. “

Morten Bødskov has explained to parliament that the 75 cases that the Immigration Office has identified  ’not necessarily represent all the cases where the sentence may be relevant. “ Subsequently, the SF’s legal spokesman, Anne Baastrup has told Information that it would be discrimination to review the 75 cases, because words can be ‘many more cases where there might be mistakes. “

But that reason doesn’t hold ground, says Thomas Hammarberg:

“That there may be additional cases that were settled on the wrong basis, is no argument for not reviewing the known cases,” he says.

“It is often the case when it comes to human rights, that you can not correct all errors, but that does not mean that one should refrain from correcting the error, you can find. One must make it as good as you can. “

Discord in the government

As previously described in the Information, the government parties before the election agreed with SF ’politician Karina Lorentzen’s words that it was “objectionable” when the former integration minister Søren Pind (V) as a result of conviction of Denmark alone would change the practice in future and would not undergo the 75 cases identified by the Immigration Service.

But after the election the Social Democrats and SF then changed her position on the matter. It has attracted strong criticism from Enhedslisten, and now the announcement from Thomas Hammarberg also the ruling Radicale Venstre to stand firm against Morten Bødskov.

“We will respect human rights, and it also means that we clean up after VKO,”says RV’s immigration spokesman Zenia Stampe.

“I understand that it can be difficult to identify all cases, but I agree with the Commissioner, that we must do it as best we can, and review the 75 cases. This is about children who have had a very severe punishment, because their parents have made a wrong choice. I will take it up with the minister. “

Justice Morten Bødskov writes in an email to info that “Denmark takes the European Court of Human Rights very seriously.” And while the minister will not to undertake a review of the cases, he will now initiate an enhanced information campaign about the importance of Osman’s case.

“Coming on the basis of the enhanced information campaign contacted the Immigration Service on cases that are similar to Osman case, the Immigration Service has indicated that it concretely in each case will determine whether there are grounds for reopening the case,” writes Morten Bødskov to Information .

URL: http://www.information.dk/273142

Foreign researchers who signed job contract with Danish universities would have to pay fee to get working permit since this year. About 429 people are hit by the recent rules that have been criticized by the universities.

»Researchers have especially easy access to the Danish work market«, says the Immigration Service website, but it’s the modified truth. If one is a foreign researcher planning to make a career at Danish universities, he should reach deep in his pocket.

Since early this year, foreign researches with job contracts in hand from one of the Danish universities have to pay 3025 kroner in fee to apply for residence permit as researcher. If the family is tagging along, it would cost further 1975 kroner per person. Extending permit would cost the researcher 2575 kr and 1600 kr per person.

It is one of the consequences of the new fee rules that the government, Dansk Folkeparti and Liberal Alliance in December passed in December.

The changes in law also mean that foreign researches have to repay the full fee again if he / she is offered a new position, because the work permit would specifically tied to a certain position, therefore he / she has to reapply the permit.

Crazy fees

Previous rector at the Danish Technical University (DTU) Lars Pallesen call the fee rules as “crazy”.

»People are wondering why they have to pay fee to be allowed to work in Denmark,« says Lars Pallesen. He thinks it is a bad idea to charge fees that signal that the Danish society is actually doing these people a favour.

»It’s the opposite. We should be happy that there are smart, educated people who come and perform important tasks for the Danish society. The new rules gives the wrong signal,«

Non-EU foreign researches are affected by the rules

There are around 1200 foreign researches out of a total 5000 workers in DTU. Half the number comes from outside EU. China is ranked highest in the number of foreign researches hired in the university.

Tina Messerschmidt Nielsen, recruitment head at , Koncern HR, DTU, says that a lot of their foreign researches have expressed their discontent of the new rules

»It’s especially those who were already hired at us who need to extend their working permit or change job positions. They have to apply again and pay the fee once again. They said that they felt unwelcomed because they felt like they had to pay to be allowed to make extra effort for the Danish society,« says Tina Messerschmidt Nielsen.

The foreign guests PhD students at DTU are also hit by the rules, saysTina Messerschmidt. Some of them are neither hired or students and the Immigration Service can’t really put them in the right application category.

»Their cases haven’t been processed yet. There were many who failed to arrive in DTU on the right time last spring«

DTU has also around 20 cases in the spring where foreign researchers have to change their recruitment dato to at least one month later because the Immigration Service have had problems with identifying their fees payment.

Inhibitory mechanism

The universities have no possibility to pay for their foreign researches or at least pay for the newly hired researches or guest researches. The universities are unable to do that by law because they are public institutions.

However, according to Jens Oddershede, rector at Syddansk Universitet og chairman for the Rektorkollegiet, the rules would hinder foreign researches from coming here to Denmark.

»First, one should apply for work permit to be able to be here and then one should pay the fee. In the academic world, one changes job position often especially if there is a new young researches on the way up. If one starts with a post.doc position, research assistant or adjunct, one could risk changing job position once a year,« says Jens Oddershede.

»It’s not reasonable that one should pay to renew his application because basically one is doing the same work, just more qualified,« he says.

SF agrees in criticism

Research spokesman at SF Jonas Dahl fully agrees with the universities’ criticisms.

»It’s completely crazy that when we want to attract researchers to Denmark and we put up obstacles in the way for them like that. It’s obvious that this is one of the rules that we would abolish if we won the election,« he says.

Rasmus Prehn from Socialdemokraterne also agrees in the case.

»If we want to be part of the international competition, we should do something that it’s attractive place to be. The rules are unwelcoming,« he says.

It was not possible to get comments from someone from the government or the Dansk Folkeparti’s research spokesman.

According data from the Immigration Service there are around 429 researches in the first half year who have to pay to stay in Denmark. In the mail it says that it’s precisely the same number of applicants as in last year.

URL: http://www.information.dk/267533

Immigration Service first decided that the Russian Olga Larsen could get 15 points she needed to obtain permanent residency through her voluntary work in Tølløse Badminton Club. But they changed their mind. Decision made at the Immigration Office depends on each case worker’s personal judgement. It’s not acceptable in constitutional state, according to the critics.

Criticisms on the country’s immigration policy are now aimed toward one question, whether the rules for active citizenship – in connection with foreigner’s application for permanent residency – are decided based on the case worker’s personal judgement at the Immigration Service

This is the case of the Russian Olga Larsen, who got different messages from the Office about what kind of activities that could be approved as active citizenship.

Radikale Venstre’s integration spokesman Marianne Jelved means that it is unacceptable to order people around.

»We live in a constitutional state, where the government should help the citizens to get their rights instead of making traps  where people could fall into,« Marianne Jelved says.

15 points is the only thing what 40 year old Olga Larsen from Russia needs to get permanent residency in Denmark, where she has lived in 7 years with her Danish husband and her two children – a child with her former Russian husband and the youngest with the Danish husband. When the government’s new point system requests foreigners to do voluntary work for minimum a year, Olga Larsen started her voluntary work at Tølløse Badminton Club on June 1, 2010 as tournament organizer and member of the youth committee. At the same time, she became a member of a Danish-Russian friendship organization. Therefore Olga Larsen was confident that she would get the permanent residency.

However in Marts 2011, Olga Larsen received rejection on her permanent residency application. She had only done voluntary work in the badminton club for 8 months and another five months at the friendship organization and these different voluntary activities could not be added up to a year.

She needed four more months of voluntary work to fulfill the requirement. To ensure that she would do everything that counts, Olga Larsen contacted Immigration service to get answers on when she could apply again.

Olga Larsen later got answer saying that six hour voluntary work at a Danish organization – where Olga Larsen was in charge for all communication with the parents (in Danish) and the new players, in charge for tournament’s financial and the club’s bank account – was not the right kind of voluntary work for active citizenship in Denmark.

Not democratic enough

After having reviewed her work at the badminton club, the Immigration Office’s case worker warned Olga Larsen not to seek permanent residency on the background of the voluntary work with the following reason::

»… We notice that the activity with Tølløse Badminton does not fulfill the requirement of the activities that could strengthen a person’s democratic development and integration in Denmark, and that could promote active citizenship in the Danish society’s values, norms and princips,« These words were written in  email received from the Immigration Office dated March 15, 2011

Olga Larsen was surprised to read about the new information from the Immigration service because she received another email only two months ago (January 20, 2011) from another caseworker where she approved Olga Larsen’s type of voluntary acitvity:

»It needs a concrete review in connection with application before we could give answer. However, we could inform you that the described activity seems to fulfill the requirement if it is conducted in minimum a year,« It was the answer from another case worker.

These contradicting messages give Olga Larsen feeling that her future is dependent of different case worker’s mood:

»I feel like a ball thrown around in the system and I have feeling that I could risk getting different answers, depends on whom I talk to. It’s humiliating situation to be in,« she says.

Member of Conservative

The Russian Olga Larsen met her Danish husband in Cyprus in 2003 and got married in Denmark a year after. With Olga Larsen’s bachelor in business economy and work experience from Cyprus – where she was hired in a managerial position in a five -star hotel in Cyprus – she did not have problem in finding a job.

After two years in Denmark, where she finished the highest level of Danish education from language center KISS in 9 months and passed Studieprøven, she got four job offers. After two years in Skælskør Bank, now she is working in Danske Bank where she has worked in three years.

Olga Larsen and her husband were expecting that she could get a permanent residency after her seven year stay in Denmark according to the old regulations, however the rules changed and Olga Larsen did everything she could to live up to the government’s point system.

Olga Larsen herself is a member of Conservative political party and was a supporter for the point system. It made sense to her that Denmark should have the rights to chose the foreigners who want to contribute to the society, just like what she does herself.

Harassing treatment

However for Olga Larsen, the system worked in a different way toward her and she is disappointed. She believed in the point system but at the same time she got stamped as unworthy to become a Dane:

»I can’t really see how I can be a burden to the society. I work full time in Danske Bank, volunteer in local club and speak fluent Danish. This can’t be the meaning of the point system that I should live in stress about my future,« Olga Larsen says.

A treatment that is described by Radikale Venstre’s Marianne Jelved as direct harassment:

»I have asked the minister, because I think he needs to explain what active citizenship is about if voluntary work in a badminton club and membership in a political party does not count,« Marianne Jelved says.

From Olga Larsen’s own party – Conservative – came also the wondering. Integration spokesman Naser Khader does not wish to discuss each concrete case but he said that the case deserves to be noticed with the different messages given by the Immigration Service:

»I wonder because it sounds like she has fulfilled all criteria if she has done voluntary work and a member of a party,« Naser Khader says.

Does not know own rules

Enhedlisten thinks that it is absurd that Immigration Service does not know its own rules when an activity is classified as active citizenship

»It shows that how non-transparent the system is. It’s rude for these people that they could not get a clear answer and it reveals a system devoid with certainty,« says Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen.

SF thinks that the case illustrate that there’s a need to take another look at the point system:

»When they proposed these rules, the talk continued on which organization that are valid for this rule, say everything from Inge’s Cat Home to religious clubs, but after that the discussion was stopped by the government and DF. There has been a major confusion that affects the applicants and Olga’s case is one of the many,« Astrid Krag says.

After Information has talked to Immigration Service about the case, Olga Larsen was encouraged to reapply after she has done voluntary work for a year:

»Olga har applied when she hasn’t yet fulfill the requirement on the minimum period of time needed for the citizenship, that should be a year. Therefore we had to give her rejection. It’ll be a year on June 1. We are sorry that we have created confusion with our commentary on the activities. We should have answered Olga that she should apply again when the activity is done for a year. We have now talked to her and explained the misunderstanding,« Head of the office at Immigration service Merethe Nord Philip emailed Information.

URL: http://www.information.dk/265778

A foreigner must now expect to have around 600 Danish lesson. The tightening will be introduced although the current rule has not been evaluated yet.

Shortly after the new immigration test was introduced 15th Last November, the government and Danish People’s Party now sharpen test that provides access to family reunification in Denmark. It appears from the recent proposal to tighten the law on foreigners, which was first discussed in parliament on Tuesday last week.

In a reply to the Parliamentary Foreign Committee promised former integration minister Birthe Ronn Hornbech (V), otherwise on 16 March last year that there would be “conducted an evaluation of the immigration test about a year after the test takes effect ‘.

But less than half a year after the test was introduced, the test would now changed to be  more rigorous, although the effects of the current test has not yet been studied.

The requirement to the level of language portion of the sample will be increased from A1-minus level to A2 level. This means that foreigners must already have basic language knowledge before they can obtain a residence permit in Denmark as a family reunion. They can come to this country on a so-called procedural stay, and within three months they must pass the test.

Danish Refugee Council estimates that an average foreigner without previous knowledge will be taking about 600 lessons in Danish, before he or she can meet the more stringent language requirements.

Hampered

It is thus clear that foreigners will have to start to learn Danish before coming to Denmark. Upon their arrival, they, according to the bill, will have to finance tuition themselves if they choose to go to language school to learn Danish.

Senior researcher at the Institute for Human Rights Eva Ersbøll is critical of tightening.

“There are other countries that require A2 level, for a foreigner with residence permit can be a citizen. But in Denmark will therefore now require that one can almost Danish, before one can be allowed to remain in the country, “she says,” It will limit the number of family reunions significantly. “

Eva Ersbøll is also baffled by the decision to change immigration test until it has been evaluated.

“When you put something in motion, one should wait and see the effect of the actions we have underway,” she says.

Also Chairman of the language centers leader association and director of Denmark’s largest language center Lærdansk Aarhus Poul Neergaard criticize crunch.

‘It is tremendously difficult. Far into the Danish society will be affected by this.Crunch will exclude many from getting their foreign spouses to Denmark, and perhaps it is also the meaning, “he says.

Poul Neergaard insists that foreigners are only entitled to three months’ stay in Denmark, will be exceedingly difficult to pass the difficult Danish language test:

“It is obviously much more difficult to acquire language outside the Danish context,” he said, adding: “It is also clear that tightening will affect social and gender-biased because poorly educated residents will have enormous difficulty ever to exist sample. “

Keeps people away

During the Parliamentary first reading of the bill criticized Enhedslisten political spokesperson Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen as the only sharpening of the language test.

“It is totally unreasonable. People do not know yet how current tests work. The sole purpose is to tighten and keep as many people as possible out, “she says, adding:” When you promised to evaluate the test, it must indeed have been, because you recognized that there could be some problems with the existing test.But instead the rule is tightened blindly. “

Liberal integration spokesman Karsten Lauritzen do not think there is any truth in the criticism: “I do not think the tightening will prevent anyone from being reunited with Denmark. I imagine that the people who come to this country, come to live here, and they need to learn the language anyway. The fact that you make higher demands will hopefully lead to the faster learning Danish, joining the labor force and so on, “he says.

Karsten Lauritzen considers that it is not a problem that a foreigner already within three months after they arrived in the country will have to take the test:

“One must assume that people who choose to marry a Dane, is interested in starting to learn Danish before they come to Denmark.”

It has not been possible to get a comment from Integration Minister Soeren Pind (V).

URL: http://www.information.dk/264751

It is not just Daniel Dalakun Hornstrup’s thick Jutland accent that has everyone, including himself, believing that he is a Dane. Nor is it that he was born and raised in Holstebro, was baptized and confirmed, has a Danish father, grandmother, and grandfather in Holstebro and is currently in the process of taking a HG education at the business school. Nor is it that he has had a Danish, beetroot-colored passport that he has been issued to him throughout his life stating: ‘Citizenship: Danish.

Despite all of this, according to the authorities, Daniel Hornstrup is not a Dane. He received this paralyzing message via a letter from the Immigration Service when he turned 18 in January of last year.

“You should immediately submit an application for a residence permit on an independent basis, since you are otherwise staying in Denmark illegally,” read the shocking the message from the authorities.
“I get angry inside. I have a lot of questions in my head and I am confused. Aside from my complexion, I’ve been through the same upbringing as any other in Holstebro. I cannot see what else I am if I’m not a Dane, “says Daniel Hornstrup.

The explanation is that his mother and father were never married and not least that the police in Holstebro and later Holstebro Municipality have screwed themselves.
“But it is us who will pay for it here. Who is responsible for it?” asks Daniel’s Thai mother, Kanitha Dalakun.

Big Consequences
Kanitha Dalakun came to Holstebro 25 years ago when she married a Danish doctor, who is now dead.
Some time after her first husband’s death, she met the Danish man who later became Daniel Hornstrup’s father. They moved in together and their son was born. But they did not marry.
“I have no explanation why. We talked about it but then we never did it. Many other Danes also live together without being married, and I could not see why one should get married just to get it. But had we known what the consequences would have for Daniel, so we would have obviously done it, “says Kanitha Dalakun.

The problem for Daniel Hornstrup is that it is his mother who is a foreigner, and not his father. Had it been the reverse, he would have been a Danish citizen from birth.
Today, the rules have since changed but this is what they in 1992 when he was born. One was not a Danish citizen, just because one was born in Denmark and one’s father was a Dane. Unless, then, one’s parents were married.

Nobody with the Holstebro Police was aware of this when Daniel Hornstrup’s parents first approached them to obtain a passport for him. He just got his passport, on which he was listed as a Danish citizen. He has since he gotten it renewed three times, so even though his parents are now separated from each other, neither suspected this would cause any problems.

“Nobody said anything. He has been to London with his school, to Croatia with his father’s family and we’ve been down to visit my family in Thailand and there was never anyone that said that he is not a Danish citizen”, says Kanitha Dalakun.

Acknowledging the Mistake
So when the letter came from the Immigration Service, she and her son thought it was a mistake. The lawyer that she referred the matter to also thought the same, as well as the Immigration Service employees initially.
But later, they changed their tune. Regardless of the fact that Daniel Hornstrup is registered in Thailand, has no Thai passport and cannot even speak Thai, the Immigration Service says that the Danish CPR registry has still registered him as a Thai citizen.

“You have received a Danish national passport on a false basis, and you are therefore obliged to return the passport to the issuing authority,” wrote the Immigration Service.
The Integration Ministry’s naturalization office later confirmed the decision.
‘The Ministry (…) must regret to inform you that the police chief in Holstebro and Holstebro Municipality mistakenly issued you a Danish passport which erroneously listed you as a Danish citizen, “the agency said.

But despite the error and inadequate information, there is no way around it. If Daniel Hornstrup is to be able to call himself a Dane again, he must apply for naturalization. And to even be considered he must, in addition, pass the citizenship test and a number of other conditions for permanent residence in Denmark.

Falls under the new point system
But now that Daniel Hornstrup is over 18, he is being hit by a second rule. Namely, the new points system for obtaining a residence permit, which VKO adopted last year.
“You cannot be granted permanent residency because you cannot obtain the necessary 100 points”, the Immigration Service wrote in their refusal in March of this year.

‘We hereby emphasize that you have not demonstrated active citizenship in this country through at least one year of participation in councils and other organizations”, reads the explanatory memorandum to the 19-year business school student, who until now has mostly been preoccupied with tending to his schoolwork, finishing 10th grade, playing badminton at a high level, spending time with his girlfriend and training at the gym.

So, Daniel Hornstrup from Holstebro, has only been given a two year temporary residence permit, is ineligible to apply for citizenship and is now a citizen of nowhere.
Kanitha Dalakun, who was a trained sports teacher in Thailand but works today as trained SOSU assistant, fears what will happen next.
‘What if in the following two years they say to him, “Ok, you can’t stay here.”? What should he do in Thailand? He only met my family four years ago and he can’t even speak Thai. It is psychological terrorism that we must lie in bed every night and think about what will become of Daniel and what will happen tomorrow”, she says.

URL: http://www.information.dk/264866

Australian Gus Murray is the government’s dream immigrant. He had a job in his hand along with two master’s degree but he has to leave Denmark on May 1, because he received 3-month state support in 2009. The money is paid back but that doesn’t make any difference in the case.

The government has repeatedly pronounced its wish to to attract high educated foreigners that could help Danish economy to run

»Foreigners are welcome, if they can and they want to contribute (to the society),«like what Integration Minister Søren Pind (V) has said

However, according to the rules, a small slip can cost a high educated foreigner to lose his job. It’s impossible to fix the error although the mistake only revolves about the money on the sum of 21,000 kr and the person has already good job at a Danish company in his hand.

Australian company consultant Gus Murray was a victim in the new rules although many business world have warned the government about their worry that Denmark might lose their ability to attract high educated foreigners in the future.

In the web tv company “23″ where Gus should have started as a marketing manager August 1 last year, the company’s owner Steffen Tiedemann Christensen calls this case as absurd.

»We have been working together with Gus as a consultant before and now we want to offer him a full time position,« he said. Gus Murray never did start his job after the Udlændingeservice (Immigration Office) decided to cancel his residence permit based on the fact that he received a state support from the Copenhagen Municipality for 3 month in 2009.

According to the rules related to his permit, he may not receive any money support from the state.

»It is my responsibility in that case, that I should have known the whole thing,« Gus Murray said.

»But I thought that the municipality knew that it would lead into problem.«

Gus Murray stopped the support in October 2009 because he got a new job. He paid the money back and appealed for the expulsion. However, the ministry has decided that he should leave Denmark on May 1 at the latest.

In the decision letter, it is said that the municipality told the ministry that they have informed Gus on the possible consequences for receiving the state support. Murray rejected that information immediately

»It doesn’t make sense. If I knew about the consequence why did I take the money. It is like a police officer telling a guy that if you steal a car, you will get arrested, and the man steal a car anyway.«

In email addressed to Information, the municipality’s Employment and Integration department insisted that Gus Murray had been told of the consequences for receiving the state support over the telephone.

»At the same time, the municipality apologizes if they haven’t explained it clearly on the doubts of possible consequences for receiving the state support«

Spokesmen: Saying “oops” will not work.

Gus Murray has Canadian Master degree and another degree from CBS. He has previously notified by the government that he belongs to the “super” immigrant that Denmark needs and wants.

He received a green card in 2009, a special card that only the high educated could obtain based on a special point system.

After more than four and half year work as entrepreneur and student in Denmark, he wondered why he was getting kicked out from the country although he has tried to repay the state support.

»I say “We” when I talk about Denmark, because I don’t feel like an outsider that is trying to get in. Until few months ago, I contributed to the society by working and I still feel that I still can continue to contribute,« he said and wondered if there was any simpler rule for people like himself..

»The current model doesn’t work. We need to attract foreign talents from other countries and background that could inspire the rest of us. If more and more people – who fit into the category – get kicked out of the country, it won’t be soon before people stop coming here,« he said.

Information wanted to get a comment from the Integration Ministry if there’s any relation between the immigration law that targets high educated foreigners and the government’s goal to attract them into the country.

The minister has refused to comment on individual case but Liberal (Venstre)’s integration spokesman Karsten Lauritzen says: »If one has committed a crime, you can’t just say sorry and be excused from the punishment. If one has received social benefit on green card, one can’t just say “Oops, I will now repay the money’.«

But doesn’t it contradict with the fact that the government wants to attract and keep high educated immigrants?

»He was on state support for some reason, because he didn’t have any thing to do.«

The man should have started his job on August 1 if he didn’t get his permit cancelled …

»Yes, but he could just apply for a new permit.«

URL: http://www.information.dk/telegram/261950

National newspaper Politiken wrote on Thursday that tax and other fees were increased two times every month in the last 10 years in average although the tax-stop has been the cornerstone in the liberal policy since the current government obtained power in 2001.

The increase is actually double as many as the accusation from the previous prime ministerAnders Fogh Rasmussen toward the earlier social democrat government under Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

“Tax and other fees increased once a month under Nyrup government. It’s time for change,” he wrote in a debate column in Politiken.

However, since Poul Nyrup Rasmussen left the prime minister seat, the tax has been increased 295 times according to document from Tax Ministry sent to the parliament’s tax committe.

- It was actually a fictitional tax stop. The government locked the level of property tax but have increased other energy taxes, said Nina Smith, economy professor at the Aarhus Universitet.

Professor i social science at the Roskilde University who is also a member of the council tax Bent Greve said:

- It’s not unusual with the number of tax changes, but in relation with the government’s ambition to put a tax-stop, the changes are surprisingly many.

The government admitted that it stopped the tax-stop in May 2010 when they created the Economy Recovery Package for Danish economy.

After that, the tax-stop was again put back in force.

Two days ago the prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (Venstre) named Peter Christensen (Venstre) as the new tax minister and Løkke said that the new ministers’ main task would be to defend the government’s tax stop policy.

Venstre’s tax spokesman Mads Rørvig  explained that the total tax percentage in the period fell from  48,6 procent to 46,4 procent of BNP according to the Financial Minister statement in 2010

URL: http://www.information.dk/261799

According to the experts, the Integration Ministry has tried  to find information from other Nordic countries in one and half year period to justify its action to continue to break the UN convention.

Throughout one and half year, the Integration minister has tried to find information from other Nordic countries that could legitimatee their illegal practice denying the stateless their rights to obtain citizenship.

The experts drew this conclusion after looking at the background of how the previous Minister Birthe Rønn Hornbech handled in the case.

In 2008, right after Birthe Rønn found out the mishandling of the statless case, the ministry didn’t stop to wrongfully process the case and did not inform the parliament (Folketinget) before January 2010. The ministry has instead chosen again and again to ask the neighbouring Nordic countries on how these countries interpret the UN convention on statlessness. According to Birthe Rønn’s explanation, the ministry was trying to find whether it could add extra requirements to the stateless rather than following the UN convention by the letter.

No doubt

Professor of Law at the Aarhus University Jens Vedsted-Hansen said that the ministry’s explanation must have shown that the ministry was trying to find something to legitimate what they were doing until they gave up in vain one and half year later.

»The ministry pretended that they were confused about which requirements the stateless should fulfilly to get citizenship but the fact is that there should be no doubt about the requirements,« said Jens Vedsted-Hansen further adding that the UN convention’s interpretation was crystal clear.

People’s justice expert at the Aarhus Universitet Jesper Lindholm agreed.

»The explanation points at the ministry was trying to find similar process in other countries that could legitimate the illegal case processing in Denmark,« he said.

»But one can’t just add more requirements according to what other countries might do,« said Jesper Lindholm.

It was not possible to get a comment from Birthe Rønn Hornbech at the moment.

URL: http://www.information.dk/258569

35-year old Carolina Aviña Ortega from Mexico has fulfilled all requirements to obtain permanent residency according to the old rules, but she was late to apply because of technical problems. Now she’s “punished” by the new rule because she just started studying at university last year hence her 6 years of full time work in Denmark wouldn’t be come into count in the new rules for permanent residency.

Venstre (V)’s integration spokesman Karsten Lauritzen called this as “single case” when Information tells the stories of people “got stuck” in the government’s recent rules to obtain permanent residency in Denmark. Here’s another one.

“But it’s not just about me,” says the 35 year old psychologist Carolina Aviña Ortega from Mexico. “It’s also about every other Danes that probably fall in love with people from other countries”.

“It’s now almost impossible for foreigners to come and stay here. And it feels like those who have already lived here should be kicked out,” she said.

Carolina Aviña Ortega came to Danmark with her Danish husband in 2002. She learned to speak fluent Danish and took the obligatory Danish exam 2 in shorter time than the Immigration Service handled her application for temporary residence permit case. Right after the Danish exam, she got a full-time work in an after-school center and she has worked full time in more than 6 years with children and youngsters.

Carolina is university-educated psychologist from Mexico, but to have her education approved in Denmark, she needs to take master’s degree from Danish university. In February 1, 2010, she started in master’s education in psychology at the Copenhagen University and work part-time at the same time in an “observation” house.

But she should have never done that, because now her situation changes that she can no longer fulfill the employment requirement stated in the new rule that one should have worked at least 2.5 years in the last 3 years.

Carolina’s temporary residency expired January 25 this year and one can earliest apply for new permit 2 months before the current permit expires. This is the reason why she couldn’t apply for permanent residency according to the old rules although she already fulfilled all the requirements in February 2010. Therefore she couldn’t fulfill the employment requirement under the new rule when she could earliest apply for permanent residency in November, more than half year after she quit her full-time job.

Furthermore one needs to prove that he / she is “connected” to the work market when one receives permanent residency while Carolina can’t. She’s heavily pregnant and expecting in 3 weeks.

Carolina feels that she is now being punished for doing all the things that the Danish government has asked her to do.

“It’s they who keep changing the rules. We had an agreement eight years ago that I should just have lived here for 7 years and fulfilled a series of requirements to be able to get a permanent residency. I have fulfilled the requirements and it’s not me who asked to take a master’s degree, it’s a requirement to be able to work here as a psychologist. It doesn’ t matter what you do, it’s never enough”

Carolina has now maternity leave for a year and another year left of her education. Although she can get a job directly after she graduates, she could earliest apply for permanent residency in August 1, 2015.

Khader: ‘Stay!’

Carolina, together with her husband, went to see the Conservative (K) integration spokesman Naser Khader on Dec, 8. to explain their case. He seemed really surprised that I should wait that long time to get a permanent residency,” Carolina said

“He listened, sympathised and understood our situation. He said he would talk to the integration minister about this and we haven’t heard much from him since,” said Carolina.

Carolina’s husband Thomas Møller sent a letter to the Integration Ministry at the same time requesting a dispensation from the rules, but they haven’t even received a “receipt” for the mail.

“I am so angry. It’s really annoying what is happening in this country. What will be the next? If there’s something happened to me, she’d get kicked out,” said Thomas Møller.

“I think we’re pretty much done with probation periode after 7 years”, he said.

They are now considering to move to Canada where there’s a big demand on psychologists and there are less complicated immigration rules.

“Naser Khader said, “No, No, you should stay here,” . We are happy to live here and would rather stay, at least until the changes come. It’s very annoying that others control your lives and decide where and how you can stay,” Carolina said

It was not possible yesterday to get a comment from Karsten Lauritzen.