Denmark’s Minister of Defense Jakob Ellemann-Jensen apologizes for having misled the parliament about a controversial arms purchase.
It all involves the purchase of 19 artillery guns from the Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. In January, the Finance Committee in the Folketing was given very little time to take a position on the purchase, and afterwards it turned out that the elected representatives did not get all the information on the table.
– Unfortunately, I have to state that the Norwegian Parliament has received incorrect information. I regretted that today, says Ellemann-Jensen at a press conference in the Ministry of Defence.
Among other things, later investigations have shown that there was no urgency because the Israeli company set a response time until June 30. The finance committee was also not told that the Danish defense did not contact other possible suppliers before concluding the agreement with Elbit Systems for an order worth 1.7 billion Danish kroner.
Elleman-Jensen, from the Venstre party, took sick leave due to stress in February but was back at work on July 31.
He now wants to see an impartial review of the deal, he says.
– On the whole, it has been a process worthy of criticism. A mistake has been made and I have therefore underlined that concrete measures must be taken so that it does not happen again, says the Minister of Defence.