The Danish government plans to set aside nearly 800 million kroner from 2027 onward to strengthen the police and the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, PET, citing a worsening threat from Russia.
The Ministry of Justice announced the plan in a press release on Friday, September 25. DR reports that the ministry describes the measures as a response to the current threat picture facing Denmark.
The ministry told Ritzau that the money will be allocated as part of the government’s coming finance bill proposal. That proposal is expected to be presented shortly.
Justice Minister Nicolai Wammen of the Social Democrats said the security policy situation has deteriorated further. He said this may also affect security inside Denmark, including the defense industry and critical infrastructure.
Wammen said the government is investing massively in a security package for the police and PET in the coming years. According to the minister, the package will deliver one of the largest expansions of the police force in many years.
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Hybrid incidents and unanswered details
Wammen also said the government will invest in capabilities to strengthen the prevention and handling of hybrid incidents. He did not elaborate on what those capabilities would be.
Ritzau asked the Ministry of Justice to be more specific about how the money will be spent. The ministry referred back to its press release, per DR.
The announcement came after the Danish Defence Intelligence Service, FE, published a new assessment of the threat from Russia on Thursday, September 24. The assessment states that it can no longer be ruled out that Russia will invade a NATO country, while also calling such an invasion unlikely.
In its published assessment, FE said Russia is expected to escalate its hybrid war against NATO and the West in the coming months. The service assessed the risk of limited Russian military attacks against a NATO country as low but increasing.
Reuters reported on the assessment the same day. The agency noted the expectation of intensified hybrid warfare against the West and highlighted the assessment’s conclusions on military risk.
Russia has been at war against Ukraine since 2022, a point referenced in FE’s assessment of the threat picture. The funds for the police and PET are earmarked from 2027 onward, according to the Ministry of Justice.
The government has not yet published a date for the presentation of the finance bill proposal. The Ministry of Justice said only that it is expected before long.
