Consultation response on the Ordinance on preventing access to rights of complaint in connection with the construction of Lynetteholm

29 September 2021

Dear Ministry of Transport, dear Benny Engelbrecht

My name is Kathrine Richter and I am writing as co-President for Volt Denmark.
I am writing to ask you to withdraw the "Ordinance on the cutting off of access to appeal in connection with the construction of Lynetteholm"

You refer to the law on Lynetteholm, which was approved in June 2021.
The whole §6 of the Lynetteholm Act gives the Ministry of Transport the right to remove the right of appeal for a "limited period", but the Ministry of Transport has now asked to suspend the right of appeal from 6 October 2021 until 'early 2025', with the possibility of extension in the event of delays.
Is 3 years with the possibility of extension the new definition of a "limited period"? It is legal, but when you make a law that intends to shut down other relevant laws - what kind of law is it?

In the draft order you ask that municipalities do not supervise the following laws in connection with Lynetteholmen:- Building Act- Nature Protection Act- Water Supply Act etc.- Environmental Protection Act- Marine Environment Protection Act- Raw Materials Act- Contaminated Sites Act- Building Protection Act.
Democracy takes time, but it ensures cohesion in society, it builds trust and it fosters cohesion. In a time of climate change, it is even more worrying that respect for nature is being ignored.
https://www.ft.dk/samling/20201/lovforslag/L220/bilag/39/2407870/index.htmhttps://www.ft.dk/samling/20201/almdel/TRU/bilag/293/2377220/index.htm

It is particularly worrying when the country's highest power, our government, actively seeks to reduce the conversation they will have with their citizens in connection with a large-scale construction project like Lynetteholmen.
https://byrummonitor.dk/Nyheder/art8362955/Regeringen-vil-afskaffe-muligheden-for-at-klage-over-Lynetteholm

Since the closed agreement between Frank Jensen and Lars Løkke Rasmussen was announced in October 2018, publicity and open debate have been absent. The project lacks a true democratic basis and in an increasingly autocratised everyday life, it is highly worrying that the Danish government believes to this extent that citizens should not be included.
This effectively means that the EU is today one of the only authorities left that can influence the abuse of power by nation states. https://policywatch.dk/nyheder/eu/article13144546.ece

On behalf of Volt Denmark, we ask you to withdraw the proposed ordinance and begin an open and inclusive conversation about Lynetteholmen instead of continuing this democratic assault.

We must take care of our nature, just as we must take care of our democracy.

Kathrine Richter