Faroes Seek Independence From Denmark
October 10, 1998 - 0:0
TORSHAVN The Faroe Islands, a small archipelago in the North Atlantic, are seeking to assume responsibility for their own affairs by becoming a sovereign state after 50 years of limited home rule under Denmark. Prospects of offshore oil riches to the west and south of the islands have raised hopes for self-reliance among the 44,000 Faroese, whose economy is completely dependent on fishing and fishery-related industries.
Descendants of Vikings who settled in the remote islands 1,000 years ago, the Faroese plan to mark the 150th anniversary of the Danish constitution of 1849 by holding a referendum on independence late next year. The crucial task in talks with the Danish government, which views independence favorably, is how to reorganize the island's public finances. A third of the Faroes' budget comes from a Danish state subsidy.
We cannot talk about sovereignty or independence as long as we receive this subsidy from Denmark, Faroe Islands Prime Minister Anfinn Kallsberg told Reuters. Sovereignty means that we have to be economically independent. Negotiations will show how long the transition period will be. The ancient Faroese parliament dating back to the Viking era was abolished by Danish King Frederik the Sixth in 1816. The Faroese, at the time mainly peasants and fishermen, were not consulted when the Kingdom of Denmark's 1849 constitution was imposed on the islands in 1850, noted Hans Jacob Debes, a professor of history at Torshavn University. World War II, when Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany and British troops took control of the Faroes, led to a decisive change in the islander's mood.
After the war it was psychologically impossible to return to the old system, Debes said. Negotiations between Faroese politicians and the Danish government led to the 1948 home rule act under which the islands became a self-governing community within the Kingdom of Denmark. The Faroe Islands parliament and government became responsible for legislation and administration of local matters. Since 1992, the Faroese authorities have had control over resources like oil and gas, though none has been found.
Anger at what many Faroese still regard as deception by Denmark over the handling of a banking crisis in the early 1990s tipped the scales in favor of independence ahead of local parliamentary elections in April this year. The Republican Party led by Hoegni Hoydal, a former TV journalist who played a key role in unveiling the bank scandal, doubled its representation in the 32-member parliament to eight.
Danish policy towards the Faroe Islands during the recent crisis is part of this new development, Hoydal, who holds the home rule affairs portfolio in the three-party coalition government, told Reuters. The Faroese separatist drive is modelled on that of Iceland, which won home rule from Denmark in 1918 and became a fully independent republic in 1944. We have looked at the Icelandic model.
We cannot say just now if it will take us the same time, or more or less, Kallsberg said. His immediate concern is to prepare for negotiations with Denmark. The Faroe Islands aim for a treaty establishing the country as a sovereign state in a union with Denmark, retaining at this stage the Danish monarchy and crown currency. The Faroese hope to complete the groundwork, including drawing up their own constitution by February-March, and expect talks with the Danish government to begin soon afterwards.
They hope to conclude the talks swiftly so that the local parliament could vote on a union treaty later in the year. If approved the treaty would be put to referendum. A yes in parliament seems virtually certain. We now have a majority in parliament which wants full political sovereignty for the Faroe Islands. There are 19 of 32 members who agree with the government about these questions, speaker of the house Finnbogi Isaksson told Reuters. Will Social Welfare Suffer? Asked about potential stumbling blocks, Kallsberg said he did not foresee any major problems from the Danish side.
The trouble will be here in the Faroe Islands, with the Faroese people. If you take one third of the budget from the people they will ask how should they manage without it, he said. Jan Mueller, editor in chief of Sosialurin, a newspaper close to the opposition Social Democrats, said the ruling coalition may run into difficulties before the referendum.
By that time people will have realized how much this will cost, he told Reuters. We will not have the same welfare if we are sovereign. Hoydal disagreed. We have the clear aim that the level of services will not be lowered, he said. It is a question of pride. The Faroese are ashamed of the state of affairs, said Debes at Torshavn University. The latest official opinion poll conducted in August showed support for sovereignty running at 55 percent, with 38 percent against.
(Reuters)
Descendants of Vikings who settled in the remote islands 1,000 years ago, the Faroese plan to mark the 150th anniversary of the Danish constitution of 1849 by holding a referendum on independence late next year. The crucial task in talks with the Danish government, which views independence favorably, is how to reorganize the island's public finances. A third of the Faroes' budget comes from a Danish state subsidy.
We cannot talk about sovereignty or independence as long as we receive this subsidy from Denmark, Faroe Islands Prime Minister Anfinn Kallsberg told Reuters. Sovereignty means that we have to be economically independent. Negotiations will show how long the transition period will be. The ancient Faroese parliament dating back to the Viking era was abolished by Danish King Frederik the Sixth in 1816. The Faroese, at the time mainly peasants and fishermen, were not consulted when the Kingdom of Denmark's 1849 constitution was imposed on the islands in 1850, noted Hans Jacob Debes, a professor of history at Torshavn University. World War II, when Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany and British troops took control of the Faroes, led to a decisive change in the islander's mood.
After the war it was psychologically impossible to return to the old system, Debes said. Negotiations between Faroese politicians and the Danish government led to the 1948 home rule act under which the islands became a self-governing community within the Kingdom of Denmark. The Faroe Islands parliament and government became responsible for legislation and administration of local matters. Since 1992, the Faroese authorities have had control over resources like oil and gas, though none has been found.
Anger at what many Faroese still regard as deception by Denmark over the handling of a banking crisis in the early 1990s tipped the scales in favor of independence ahead of local parliamentary elections in April this year. The Republican Party led by Hoegni Hoydal, a former TV journalist who played a key role in unveiling the bank scandal, doubled its representation in the 32-member parliament to eight.
Danish policy towards the Faroe Islands during the recent crisis is part of this new development, Hoydal, who holds the home rule affairs portfolio in the three-party coalition government, told Reuters. The Faroese separatist drive is modelled on that of Iceland, which won home rule from Denmark in 1918 and became a fully independent republic in 1944. We have looked at the Icelandic model.
We cannot say just now if it will take us the same time, or more or less, Kallsberg said. His immediate concern is to prepare for negotiations with Denmark. The Faroe Islands aim for a treaty establishing the country as a sovereign state in a union with Denmark, retaining at this stage the Danish monarchy and crown currency. The Faroese hope to complete the groundwork, including drawing up their own constitution by February-March, and expect talks with the Danish government to begin soon afterwards.
They hope to conclude the talks swiftly so that the local parliament could vote on a union treaty later in the year. If approved the treaty would be put to referendum. A yes in parliament seems virtually certain. We now have a majority in parliament which wants full political sovereignty for the Faroe Islands. There are 19 of 32 members who agree with the government about these questions, speaker of the house Finnbogi Isaksson told Reuters. Will Social Welfare Suffer? Asked about potential stumbling blocks, Kallsberg said he did not foresee any major problems from the Danish side.
The trouble will be here in the Faroe Islands, with the Faroese people. If you take one third of the budget from the people they will ask how should they manage without it, he said. Jan Mueller, editor in chief of Sosialurin, a newspaper close to the opposition Social Democrats, said the ruling coalition may run into difficulties before the referendum.
By that time people will have realized how much this will cost, he told Reuters. We will not have the same welfare if we are sovereign. Hoydal disagreed. We have the clear aim that the level of services will not be lowered, he said. It is a question of pride. The Faroese are ashamed of the state of affairs, said Debes at Torshavn University. The latest official opinion poll conducted in August showed support for sovereignty running at 55 percent, with 38 percent against.
(Reuters)