Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday underlined the need to abolish Denmark's current opt-outs from the European Union in a speech marking Constitution Day, according to dpa. Rasmussen, however, did not spell out if the government was considering one or several referendums on the opt-outs that include security and defence policy, justice and home affairs and introducing the joint European currency, the euro. "The main thing is that people are given a fair chance to consider the opt-outs," Rasmussen said in his speech at Kolding in southern Jutland, adding the opt-outs "harm Denmark." The premier said there was "no doubt that Denmark has to join the euro in order to be in the heart of Europe," and ended his speech, "Denmark should be in the heart of Europe." Denmark joined the EU in 1973, but obtained opt-outs after voters initially rejected the Maastricht Treaty in a 1992 referendum. Parliament recently ratified the Lisbon Treaty, and leading cabinet members have said it was time to drop the opt-outs since they gave Denmark less say in the 27-nation bloc. Rasmussen's minority government needs to cooperate with the main opposition parties on the opt-outs since it cannot rely on its traditional parliamentary backer, the populist Danish People's Party on EU issues. Danish People's Party leader Pia Kjaersgaard on Thursday criticized the government's policy on the opt-outs and said her party wanted a date for a referendum before approving funds for a EU- information campaign as proposed by the premier. Both Rasmussen and deputy premier Bendt Bendtsen of the Conservatives also touched on Monday's bombing of the Danish embassy in Pakistan and said it was necessary to stand united against terrorism and for freedom of speech. Constitution Day marks the anniversary of the signing of the 1849 constitution that made Denmark a constitutional monarchy.
