Denmark go the furthest in the Nordic countries with rules to strip the passports

Denmark is the only among the major nordic neighbours, where a minister alone has the power to take a citizenship from a citizen. It shows the response from t

Ann McDonald
Ann McDonald
02 November 2019 Saturday 20:00
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Denmark go the furthest in the Nordic countries with rules to strip the passports

Denmark is the only among the major nordic neighbours, where a minister alone has the power to take a citizenship from a citizen.

It shows the response from the government agencies in Norway, Sweden and Finland, writes Politiken.

In Norway, citizenship is only be taken from a person "if he or she is punished according to a provision in the Norwegian penal code chapter 16, 17 or 18, which can lead to imprisonment for six years or more", informs the Norwegian Kunnskapsdepartement.

In Sweden there is "no possibility to withdraw Swedish citizenship", writes Justitsdepartementet.

The Finnish authorities stated that "a person may lose his Finnish citizenship if he is found guilty of an offense of Finland's vital interests".

For the crime, the person shall be sentenced to at least five years ' unconditional imprisonment.

Just the question of whether a person should be sentenced by a court before the passport can be deprived of any, was central in the Danish parliament last week.

That got the government's backing for a contentious bill.

This means, that foreigners, integration, Mattias Tesfaye (S) in the future can deprive, for example, fighters in Syria their Danish passport. It only applies to persons with dual citizenship.

It is the minister, if he determines that a person has acted in a way that is seriously detrimental to Denmark's vital interests.

It happens mind you, without the first been brought before a judge.

The Radicals voted against the bill. The party's udlændingeordfører, Andreas Steenberg, had preferred, if the Danish government had been inspired by the example of Norway.

- It shows that the Social democrats in this matter has gone very far. It is not that which should characterize the rule of law and a scandinavian welfare society, that one can get so severe a "judgment" without having been a judge, he says to Politiken.

Mattias Tesfaye has not been able to make up to the interview with the newspaper. In a written answer from the ministry informs he that he always listens to our neighbouring countries.

- We are often in the same dilemmas. But I believe that the legislation is sensible.

- The people who can get deprived of their citizenship, has acted to the serious detriment of Denmark's vital interests. For example, by committing terror. It is not people we want in Denmark, the minister says in reply.

Updated: 02.11.2019 20:00