Danish industry is speaking out against the country’s prime minister as they believe his fight for press freedom is going too far, according to Danish daily Berlingske Tidende.
Niels Due Jensen, the director of the major Danish pump manufacturer Grundfos, indicated in that his company, with nearly 5,000 workers in Denmark, might leave the country because of the aftermath of the Mohammed Cartoons first published in Jyllands Posten in September 2005.
The company's rhetoric comes after prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and finance minister Kristian Jensen accused Danish industry of being more concerned about money than about the basic principles of the freedom of expression.
But Mr Due Jensen has accused Mr Rasmussen of squandering Denmark’s reputation.
"[The prime minister] has said that there is no but’ when it comes to freedom of expression. Contrary to him, I think there is a but’. Moreover, Denmark’s goodwill and reputation is being squandered in record time, which is something I am very concerned about," he told Berlingske Tidende.
He added that Denmark is losing respect abroad as a consequence. "When we travel abroad we almost have to hide that we are Danes, whereas previously, we were proud to say that we are from Denmark".
According to the Grundfos director, the government is making Danish industry which has questioned the way the Mohammed cartoon debate took shape, feel unwelcome.
Grundfos has 14,000 employees of which 4,700 are in Denmark and has a yearly turnover of 13 billion Dkr (1,7 billion Euros).
