The Public Accounts Committee has strongly criticized the Danish Ministry of Defence for its inadequate protection of military areas and is demanding immediate action to rectify the identified errors and omissions. This rebuke follows an investigation by the National Audit Office of Denmark, which revealed significant shortcomings in security measures.

The committee, led by Chairman Mette Abildgaard, expressed its disapproval at a press conference, stating that waiting for a comprehensive strategy to be implemented in 2026 is unacceptable. The committee highlighted that this marks only the fourth time since 2020 that it has issued such severe criticism.

The Ministry of Defence has acknowledged the issues and established a steering group to develop a strategy by March 2026 for prioritizing projects to address the security deficiencies. However, the ministry also stated that meeting all significant requirements and standards for protecting military areas within a “foreseeable number of years” is not feasible.

Abildgaard and the Public Accounts Committee dismissed this explanation, asserting that there is no justification for delaying immediate action. The committee emphasized that security has deteriorated over the past five years despite the Ministry of Defence being aware of the shortcomings, which have, in some cases, impacted the security of the Armed Forces.

The Public Accounts Committee’s concerns are further underscored by the Defence Intelligence Service’s assessment of security as “unsatisfactory” from 2020 to 2024, the worst possible rating. According to the Ministry of Defence’s own evaluations, a majority of its authorities failed to meet critical security requirements in 2024. Deficiencies include a lack of alarms, guarding, and soundproofing.

Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen acknowledged that security in military areas has been insufficient for an extended period and stated that work is underway to improve and modernize Defence establishments and IT systems. He affirmed that he takes the criticism from both the National Audit Office of Denmark and the Public Accounts Committee seriously.

The Public Accounts Committee, comprised of politically appointed members, is responsible for overseeing state expenditure in collaboration with the National Audit Office of Denmark. While the committee typically reviews reports from the National Audit Office, the investigation into the protection of military areas was initiated by the National Audit Office itself.