NUUK, Greenland — In a significant legislative session on Tuesday, Greenland’s parliament considered a proposal to ban political parties from accepting contributions from foreign or anonymous sources. This discussion follows recent declarations regarding U.S. interests in acquiring the vast island, which is a territory of Denmark.
The proposal, presented to Inatsisartut, entails restrictions on domestic private contributions as well. Under this bill, no single party would be allowed to receive more than 200,000 Danish kroner (approximately $27,700) in total donations, with a cap of 20,000 kroner (around $2,770) from individual contributors.
The Greenlandic government urged the parliamentary presidency to review the bill intended to “safeguard Greenland’s political integrity,” with the aim of implementing it promptly.
According to a translated parliamentary document, the bill addresses the pressing geopolitical interests concerning Greenland, especially in light of statements made by representatives of significant allied nations about potential control over the island.
This initiative emerges as parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place no later than April in Greenland.
Kent Fridberg, a senior legal officer at the parliament, noted that it remains unclear if foreign donations have been made to political parties in Greenland, emphasizing that the proposed bill serves as a precautionary tactic.
Fridberg acknowledged recent developments regarding U.S. interests in Greenland and mentioned similar sentiments expressed by Russian politicians. He added that political financing in Greenland primarily relies on public funding.
Before commencing his second term, the U.S. president suggested that the military option for acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal could be considered crucial for U.S. national security. This stance was reiterated in recent remarks, while public interest in Greenland has also been highlighted by his family members during visits to the region.
