Danish defence budget gets major boost

The Danish government has decided to increase its defence budget over the next five years after three months of negotiating the deal. For the first time in Denmark’s political history, the Socialist People’s Party joined the other opposition groups in support of the government’s defence budget that will add another 3.5 billion kroner to the armed forces’ kitty between 2010 and 2014.

Much of the additional cash will go to help soldiers fighting abroad. “We have many soldiers serving abroad and it will mean a lot for them and their relatives that there is broad majority behind the defence forces,” said Defence Minister Soren Gade.

In addition to giving more money to the military, the government has also asked that they initiate a range of actions to reduce spending within the military, the Copenhagen Post reports. The goal is to save 700 million kroner by such measures as reducing the number of combat vehicles from 57 to 34, and F16 fighter jets from 48 to 30.

With the extra 3.5 billion kroner, Denmark’s annual defence budget of 20.48 billion kroner will get a useful boost. This was good news for Colonel Frank Lissner, the head of Danish forces in Afghanistan, who needs to keep his men properly equipped. There are currently some 700 soldiers in action in Afghanistan under the International Security Assistance Force.