The Unity List party criticizes the participation of Danish soldiers in operations in Libya if the defense reservation is lifted.
Shortly before the day of the vote, the Unity List party is taking to the streets to urge Danes to vote “no” in the Danish referendum tomorrow, Wednesday, June 1st.
High cost and involvement in returning refugees
The party stated on its official Facebook page that the defense participation in the European Union cost Sweden 2.4 billion kroner, and the party considers this another reason to vote “no” tomorrow. The party criticized the participation of Danish soldiers with the European Union army in forcing refugees back off the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean Sea, with the help of the notorious Libyan coast guard, as they described it.
The Unity List party is actively urging a "no" vote, despite the high percentage of those who said they would vote "yes" to abolish the European defense reservation compared to those who said they would vote "no," according to a poll published by TV2. The poll showed that 65% of the participants said they would vote "yes" to abolish the defense reservation, which means they support the participation of Danish soldiers in the joint EU army, while 35% would vote "no," while the percentage of people who do not want to vote reached 19% of the total of 1091 participants in the poll.
Here is a list of places where Danish soldiers could be deployed if we vote yes tomorrow, according to TV2:
Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina
In 2004, the European Union launched Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina to support and train the Bosnian armed forces. They took over the peacekeeping mission from NATO, which had been maintaining security in the country since the end of the war. As a result of this decision, Danish soldiers were unable to participate.
Operation Atalanta on the Gulf of Aden
The European Union mission in the Gulf of Aden began in 2008, with various naval vessels flying the EU flag patrolling off the Horn of Africa, near the coast of Somalia. Its objectives include combating piracy and drug trafficking, as well as protecting the numerous cargo ships of the UN World Food Programme delivering emergency aid to the region.
EUTM operation in Mali
The European Union Mission in Mali (EUMAL) began in 2013. The EU has a mandate to assist the Malian Armed Forces, providing training and advice, and helping to reduce the threat from terrorist groups. EUMAL operates under a United Nations mandate and at the request of the Malian government.
EUTM operation in Mozambique
At the request of the Mozambican government, the European Union has been operating in the country since October 2021. The soldiers are training the Mozambican armed forces, which are fighting armed Islamist rebel forces in the Cabo Delgado region.
EUTM operation in Somalia
The European Union is also present in Somalia.
Since 2010, the primary objective has been to strengthen the federal government and bolster the nation's defense and security institutions. This is achieved through training, mentoring, and advisory programs.
EUTM operation in the Central African Republic
The Education Mission in the Central African Republic (RCA) was established at the request of the United Nations and the President of the Central African Republic. Launched in 2016, the mission is supported by the European Union with strategic advice, operational training, and education, reflecting the instability that has plagued the RCA for several years.
Operation Irini in Libya
The mission in Libya, conducted both at sea and in the air since 2020, aims to ensure the enforcement of the UN arms embargo on Libya and to combat human trafficking. The EU also contributes to the training of the Libyan coast guard and to monitoring vessels.
(Source: Den europæiske udenrigstjeneste)
