As a retired fisherman and businessman with many years of board membership in several large companies, city council member of Frederikshavn Municipality Jens Borup (V) is not a man who is easily shaken. But after listening for three and a half hours to three lawyers from Bech-Bruun talking about the legal investigation into the financial incapacity of the Port of Frederikshavn and a debt of 1.7 billion. DKK, the conclusion is clear.
- I am shocked, concludes Jens Borup, that the legal investigation finds that the port's financial problems are due to optimistic budgets and a lack of financial management and at the same time does not criticize the former mayor, municipal director or two city council members on the port board.
The debt meant that the port ended up going from being a municipal self-governing port to a municipal port in May 2024. The municipality will therefore also take over the debt of 1.7 billion. kr.
Jens Borup sees several problematic aspects of the legal investigation that he had the opportunity to ask questions about today:
- The three lawyers said right from the start: "It is always our legal assessment, and you should know that it is not an impartial legal investigation. It is a legal investigation," says Jens Borup and continues:
- They also made it clear that this meant that they had to answer the questions that were asked. They were not supposed to look up what they found interesting themselves. That is why 2.9 million kr. has been spent on that.
He also leaves no doubt that it should have been an impartial legal investigation.
- The Liberal Party tried to get an impartial legal investigation from another company, explains the city council member, who could not find a majority for it in the city council.
And there are even more reasons why another law firm should have been chosen, he believes:
- It is the same law firm that was used to expel the port director when he was fired. It was also used as one of the arguments for choosing Bech-Bruun, explains Jens Borup.
Smooth lawyers
In the three and a half hours when there was an opportunity to ask questions, he made use of it, but not much came of it.
- The three lawyers were smooth every time we asked about something, says Jens Borup, who remembers the same answer over and over again:
"That is always our legal assessment."
Now the financial consequences for the coming years are clear for the citizens of Frederikshavn Municipality. But Jens Borup already sensed trouble early on.
- I already started shouting in June 2023. This year it will cost the municipality and the citizens 62.5 million. DKK, and the same amount has been budgeted for the port's installments and interest for the next three years, explains Jens Borup, who is upset about the situation on behalf of the local democracy:
- I understand, people are shaking their heads at politics.
He also leaves no doubt that the responsibility will probably not be assigned.
- We probably can't do more about it. I'm a bit shocked by it, says Jens Borup, who can't right now assess what consequences it will have for KV25 in November.
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