City scuppers bike share programme
5
New shopping hours come into effect
5 - 11 October 2012 | Vol 15 Issue 40
15
Music Around across the sound
G2
Denmark’s only English-language newspaper | cphpost.dk PETER STANNERS
NEWS
Danes need to be “less pretentious” in attitudes towards foreigners, economy minister says
3
NEWS
Police pepperspray toddler After 15-month-old’s father is stopped for a routine traffic infraction, cop lets loose with spray
6 NEWS
Setting the agenda In an exclusive interview, Mayor Frank Jensen says that Copenhagen often paves the way for the rest of the nation
Turkish PM accuses Scandinavia of harbouring terrorists, and Roj TV receives two month ban
10
CULTURE
Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt’s opening speech focused on education, helping the young, creating more jobs and pushing Denmark out of the crisis
Streaming music is increasingly popular in Denmark, but are musicians being left out to dry?
18
9 771398 100009
Price: 25 DKK
Parliament once again open for business CHRISTIAN WENANDE
Music biz back to life
4
T
RADITIONS were out in force on Tuesday as Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (Socialdemokraterne) ushered in the new parliamentary season by pledging to focus on securing Denmark a brighter future by improving education, helping those in need, creating jobs and meeting the challenge of integration. The first Tuesday of October has traditionally signalled the beginning of the political year in Denmark, and the red carpet was unfurled for the occasion.
The Royal Family arrived in separate cars in order of rank, with Queen Margrethe arriving last with Prince Henrik in their 1958 Rolls Royce. Wearing a long, white dress, Thorning-Schmidt’s speech focused primarily on guiding Denmark out of the crisis it has been mired in since 2008. “We must bring Denmark safely out of the crisis. That has been the government’s most important duty since our tenure began a year ago, and it continues to be,” Thorning-Schmidt opened. Thorning-Schmidt said that the insecure future currently faced by many families will be met with an urgent package that will help those on unemployment benefits, but she was adamant that the best course of action lay within creating jobs through the construction and renovation of buildings and play-
grounds, and also within an energy plan designed to replace coal-burning energy with greener alternatives. “It pays to act. I am convinced that the societies that best weather the crisis are the ones that act. The societies that manage to make the right and timely decisions, but not necessarily the popular decisions,” Thorning-Schmidt said. She then shifted her focus to education and the nation’s youth, conveying the importance of students to get through their studies as quickly as possible in order to accommodate the more than 60,000 students who began their education this autumn. Thorning-Schmidt pledged that all allegations of child abuse must be evaluated within 24 hours. There will also be tougher requirements for institutions and foster families.
“We will assemble our expertise and provide a better focus and a stronger professional competency,” ThorningSchmidt contended. The PM promised better healthcare with the implementation of a new guarantee that she said would result in maximum waiting times of two months for treatment and a diagnosis within 30 days. Thorning-Schmidt’s opening speech also touched on a stronger police presence, the challenge of parallel societies, clean water, tax reductions for businesses, the climate, EU relations, aid in Afghanistan and the need for teachers to spend more time with their students. Unions look to steal PM’s thunder Joint campaign ahead of opening speech calls dagpenge cuts a “disaster” page 7
Directed by Barry McKenna Krudttønden, Serridslevvej 2, 2100 Kbh. Ø Tickets: dkk 140
3-7 and 9-13 October 2012 Weekdays at 19:30; Saturdays and Sundays at 17:00 www.ctcircle.dk
Based on the Miramax motion picture by Juliette Towhidi and Tim Firth