Politics
Rasmussen pays for his daughter’s flights
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October 30th, 2013
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This article is more than 11 years old.
‘Luxury Lars’ said he was unaware that climate organization paid the 27,000 kroner for his daughter to fly with him from Chicago to Rio de Janeiro and on to Copenhagen
Opposition leader Lars Løkke Rasmussen (V) has repaid the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) – which he chairs – for flights the organisation bought for his daughter.
Rasmussen spent 27,000 kroner of GGGI funds to fly his daughter with him from Chicago to Rio de Janeiro and on to Copenhagen last summer.
The former PM said he was only made aware that GGGI had paid for his daughter’s flights when the organisation collected and published his travel expenses as GGGI chair.
Media storm
Rasmussen was forced to release his expenses following revelations that he had spent almost 800,000 kroner flying first class for GGGI.
The rules were changed – limiting him to business class – before the media revelations, but he has apologised for overspending the organisation’s funds, a good portion of which come from the Danish government, before the rule change this summer.
READ MORE: Climate organisation's future uncertain after media frenzy
While the first-class flights exhibited bad judgement but didn’t break any rules, letting GGGI pay for his daughters flights seemed to many to be a clear abuse of power.
Rasmussen claims, however, that he never intended to let GGGI cover the cost of his daughter’s flights and said he has now paid back the organisation.
GGGI under scrutiny
GGGI was originally established as a South Korean NGO with the goal to create economic growth through green technology.
While Denmark has invested 90 million kroner into GGGI and has helped transform it into an international organisation, the organisation has been accused of corruption and wastefulness by South Korean state auditors.
Danish funding runs out at the end of 2013 and a report is currently being compiled that will help parliament decide whether to continue its support.
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