Denmark’s government will create a new ministry for state security and emergency management in a bid to better prepare to deal with cyberattacks, espionage and other crises.
The move is part of a cabinet reorganization unveiled by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Wednesday, and comes as the threat from Russia is perceived to be increasing. Danish authorities have increased preparedness and recommended Danes should do the same.
“We must prepare for more cyberattacks,” Frederiksen said at a news conference in Copenhagen.
“We risk that parts of the critical infrastructure may be shut down,” she said. “We are seeing more severe weather events — extreme rain, floods, droughts — and on top of that comes the espionage threat and environmentally damaging incidents.”
Denmark is particularly concerned over Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers traversing its narrow straits and posing an environmental threat, with authorities powerless to stop the vessels, many of which are decrepit.
Earlier this year the government asked citizens to prepare for an attack or other potential crisis by stockpiling supplies of water, food and medicine, and keeping iodine tablets at home — guidance that’s been commonplace in a number of European countries for years.
Denmark’s coalition government will also create a ministry that will be charged with implementing the recently agreed climate plan for agriculture, while a new Europe department will plan and oversee Denmark’s European Union presidency next year.
The prime minister also named Dan Jorgensen, Denmark’s minister for global climate policy, as new the EU commissioner. Ministers for the new departments will be named on Thursday.