Danish homeowners face rising expenses after interest rate hike, Timmy the whale to be turned to biodiesel, and more news from Denmark on Friday.
Danish homeowners face rising expenses after interest rate hike
Denmark’s central bank on Thursday followed the European Central Bank (ECB) and raised its interest rates by 0.25 percentage points, in the first interest rate hike since 2023.
Danmarks Nationalbank said in a statement that its key interest rate – the certificate of deposit rate – would be 1.85 percent, while the lending rate will end up at 2.00 percent.
According to AL Sydbank, this will have consequences for thousands of Danish homeowners with a so-called F-kort mortgage, on which the interest rates are set every six months, with a new rate set on July 1st.
“An interest rate increase of 0.25 percentage points means that the monthly payment will increase by around 150 kroner per month after tax on an interest-free loan of one million kroner,” Brian Friis Helmer, the bank’s private economist, said.
“That bill could even become larger at the turn of the year if the ECB follows up with another interest rate hike in the autumn.”
Nationalbank always follows ECB decisions unless the Danish krone is considered too weak compared to the euro.
Danish vocabulary: weak – weak
Green Left councilor to challenge party leader about new advisor
Lotte Kofoed, a councilor for the Green Left Party in Frederiksberg, has threatened to confront her party leader Pia Olsen Dyhr at the Folkemødet politics festival over her decision to hire a new advisor who left the party in 2020 over allegations of inappropriate behavior and sexual assault.
Kofoed told Politiken on Wednesday that it was her who had been sexually assaulted by the person in question.
“I still haven’t heard from you,” she wrote in a post on X on Thursday evening. “I really shouldn’t have been to Bornholm, but now I’m on my way anyway. I’ll come to your speech tomorrow. That has to be where I get my apology, and where you admit you were wrong.”
Kofoed says she plans to stand in the audience with a sign saying, “Never again in SF”.
In a text message sent to Politiken, Olsen Dyhr said that six years after the accusations she had decided to give the person a second chance.
“I know that not everyone will agree with that assessment. I respect that. But I believe that people should both be held accountable for their actions and have the opportunity for a second chance.”
Danish vocabulary: an opportunity – an opportunity/possibility
Remains of Timmy the whale to be turned into biodiesel
The remains of Timmy the humpback whale, who died and was washed ashore at Anholt last month, will be recycled as biodiesel according to Daka, the Danish company responsible for handling the carcass.
According to a report from Germany’s NDR channel, the water from the body will be purified and then discharged into the sea, the fat from the whale’s blubber will be processed into biodiesel, while the bones, skin and tendons will be burned for energy.
A few of the bones have already been secured and transferred to the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen for further examination, in the hope of learning what caused Timmy’s death.
Timmy was originally stranded off Timmendorfer Strand on the German north coast. A major rescue effort was initiated, and eventually the whale was transported to the open sea in Kattegat, where it was released in early May.
In the autopsy, it turned out that Timmy was a female whale.
Danish vocabulary: fat layer – blubbering
Famed Copenhagen restaurant to reopen with new leadership
Copenhagen’s Noma, long regarded as the world’s best restaurant, announced Wednesday that it will re-open in August under new leadership, after founder Rene Redzepi stepped down over allegations that he abused staff.
For the restaurant, which closed at the start of the year, it is “the beginning of a new chapter” with a Mexican head chef, Pablo Soto.
“This spring has led us to reflect more closely on who we are, what matters most, and where we want to go next. And now, we’re ready to share that with you,” Noma said in a statement.
As it was closed, Noma did not appear among Copenhagen’s three-star establishments in the 2026 Nordic Michelin Guide.
Facing allegations of having abused and bullied his staff, star chef Redzepi stepped down in March. He remains the owner of the establishment and its creative director without taking part in daily operations, according to Noma’s statement.
Starting August 5th, Noma plans to offer a different menu every month at an initial price of 4,500 kroner ($697).
