Denmark must once again be a major shipbuilding nation. This can be understood from Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S), who will give her speech in Odense on May 1, which is the International Workers' Day.
Here she says that she believes that the time has come to say goodbye to "the idea that we are no longer a major shipbuilding nation", and that Denmark must thus take back a number of the jobs that arise when the whole of Europe arms up.
- I think we should change that. We must renew the commitment to our maritime heritage. In the coming years, we will need a significant expansion of the Danish navy. From environmental ships, frigates and to Arctic ships, says the Prime Minister.
In April, a political agreement on a naval plan was reached with Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen (V). The agreement states that it is "the political ambition" that "a high degree of production" of new, larger maritime capabilities should take place in Denmark. It is also the ambition that four new marine environmental vessels will be produced in Denmark.
According to several media, Denmark will also eventually acquire four new air defense frigates - which are larger warships - in order to comply with requirements from the defense alliance NATO.
However, this has not yet been decided, and time is a significant factor due to Russia's aggression. So even though Denmark has previously built warships, much of that knowledge has been lost, which is the challenge of building in Denmark.
Will not interfere in the location of production
Where in Denmark this may possibly take place is not addressed in the agreement, and Mette Frederiksen will not put it into words either.
- I will not interfere in where we will build them, says Mette Frederiksen and receives laughter from those present in Odense. But I would like more to be built in Denmark.
It is still unknown where the ships will be built, but it has attracted criticism that Søren Gade (V) is both the chairman of the Folketinget and the Port of Esbjerg, which has bid for the task, because there is a coincidence of interests.
In general, defense occupies a large part of the Prime Minister's May Day speech. Mette Frederiksen warns that "we will need even more money" to upgrade the defense.
- Later this year. We must find a socially balanced and fair way to pay the bill.
/ritzau/
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