“Denmark has sent a clear signal today to our allies in Europe and NATO and to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. We are showing that when Putin invades a free country and threatens stability in Europe, the rest of us will come together,” Social Democrat Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, according to AFP. .
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The referendum is another of the steps taken by European countries to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In May, traditionally neutral Sweden and Finland changed their views on membership in the North Atlantic Alliance and applied to join NATO, the AP agency recalled.
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4.2 million eligible voters were invited to the polls in Denmark.
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“The world is changing, not for the better. We need to come together and strengthen cooperation that will increase our security,” Venstre Liberal Party opposition leader Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said earlier on Wednesday to persuade voters to persuade voters to agree on defense cooperation. with the EU.
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Denmark is one of the founding members of NATO, but has long been skeptical about deepening cooperation within the European Union. Denmark joined the former European Economic Community (EEC) – the predecessor of the EU – in 1973. In 1992, the bloc negotiated exceptions in the areas of law and home affairs, security and defense policy, citizenship and the common currency.
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In a referendum in 2000, the Danes decided to stay outside the eurozone, and 15 years later voted to keep the exceptions to the European Union’s police and judicial policies in force.
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Denmark is the only 27-member bloc country to have an exception to its defense and security policy, according to Reuters. For Denmark, joining the policy means, among other things, that Danish officials will be able to remain in the Chamber as representatives of EU member states discuss defense issues, and the Danish military will be able to participate in EU military operations such as in Somalia, Mali and Bosnia.
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