The government intended to screen all new citizens, but nothing happened five months later.

The criticism is mounting against immigration and integration minister Kaare Dybvad Bek (S).

More parties to the right of the government are growing impatient with the minister for being passive, despite his promise of action in one of last year's major political showdowns.

A showdown that took place in December, when the Folketing used a new tool against people who were about to receive Danish citizenship.

Three of them were invited to meetings in the Folketing's Citizenship Committee, where they were to convince the committee of their Danish "mindset" - and explain several posts on social media.

This created a heated debate (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/tre-historiske-sindelagssamtaler-har-skabt-roere-i-folketinget-saadan-gik-det-sig-i), and the proponents of the meetings were accused of conducting mindset tests and conducting meetings that had the character of interrogations. Others were satisfied with the meetings and believed that they provided a better picture of the applicants.

The government's conclusion on the attempt was that an expert committee should be set up to look at how applicants for citizenship can be screened for "anti-democratic attitudes."

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Five months later

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However, today - good five months later - the committee is still not appointed. And it is here that the criticism comes in.

Today, the Folketing began the handling of new citizenships. This time without screening and without meetings.

- This reveals with clarity that the government does not prioritize the national community - but allows the automatic distribution of citizenship to people we do not know enough about, says the Danish People's Party's Mikkel Bjørn.

He does not believe there are any obstacles to setting up the expert committee. Only a lack of political will from the government.

- Every single Islamist who receives Danish citizenship today is a direct product of the government's passivity. What we do not know about the applicants today risks being read in court records tomorrow.

Mikkel Bjørn (DF) criticizes the immigration and integration minister. (Photo: © Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix)

In the Liberal Alliance, indfødsrets spokesperson Sandra Skalvig is also dissatisfied with the government not moving forward.

The Liberal Alliance had demanded a model where applicants could be sorted out with "anti-democratic" behavior.

That was what the government tried to meet with an expert committee.

- It is deeply criticized, for we must and should have anti-democratic behavior, and it requires action now - not slow-moving committees or vague statements about taking the issue seriously, says she.

Also, The Conservatives' Brigitte Jerkel is growing impatient with the government.

- It is a shame to see how the SVM government has put Danish security on autopilot and instead cranked up the excuses - when they do not manage to get the work started to ensure that there are no criminals among the applicants, says she.

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Difficult to find the right people

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Earlier today, Kaare Dybvad Bek defended himself from the Folketing's rostrum against criticism of a lack of political will.

The area is so specific that it requires thorough preparation to find the people who are capable of handling being on such a committee - and who themselves believe they are capable of it, sounded it.

- I expect it to be completed before the summer break. But it takes some time, he said.

- I would like to have done it faster, but one must play according to the circumstances that now exist.

The minister has also sent a written response to DR News about the matter, where he emphasizes the importance of setting up an expert group.

He does not, however, give a concrete date for when the group is ready to be revealed and put into use.

- To become a Danish citizen is not a right and should not be granted to anyone. Therefore, it is important that we set up an expert group to look at the possibility of introducing a screening of applicants for citizenship, he writes.

- We are working on getting the last pieces to fall into place, and I look forward to being able to tell more about the expert group's composition when it is finally set up.

It is the Folketing that grants Danish citizenship.

It takes place through a bill with a list of people who have met the requirements for receiving Danish citizenship, which the Folketing then votes on after it has been processed in the Citizenship Committee in the Folketing.

© Ritzau Scanpix

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What are the requirements for receiving Danish citizenship?

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A foreign national can only receive Danish citizenship by law. That is, it is only the Folketing that can grant citizenship.

To receive Danish citizenship - also known as naturalization - one must meet a series of conditions that a majority in the Folketing has agreed to in the Citizenship Agreement. One must:

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Give a declaration of loyalty and allegiance to Denmark and the Danish community.

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Live permanently in Denmark and be registered at a Danish address.

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Have resided lawfully in Denmark for nine years uninterrupted. However, with some exceptions, for example, it is two years for Nordic citizens.

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Not have committed certain criminal offenses. For example, if one receives a fine of over 3,000 kroner, there are four and a half years before one can become a citizen.

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Not have fallen into debt to the public.

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Be self-sufficient. That is, one, for example, does not have to have received welfare benefits within the last two years.

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Be in employment and have been in full-time employment for three and a half years out of the last four.

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Be able to document one's Danish language skills.

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Pass the citizenship test.

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Participate in a municipal civic ceremony, where one gives a handshake with the mayor or a council member from one's home municipality.

If one meets the requirements, one automatically comes on a bill for receiving Danish citizenship. If one does not meet the requirements, one can apply for a dispensation from the Citizenship Committee.

Source: Immigration and Integration Ministry (https://uim.dk/statsborgerskab/udenlandske-statsborgere/betingelser/)

Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.