On Saturday 7th December 2018, a phone-in show which shall not be named in this blog, exposed how easy it is for FAKE NEWS to enter the realm of quasi-truth. A caller stated that Greenland was a part of Norway. Let me quote a quick historic summary:
- Norse colonization - 10th century
- Arrival of the Inuit - 13th century
- Unification with Norway - 1262
- Dano-Norwegian colonies established 1721
- Ceded to Denmark - 14 January 1814
In 1979 Greenland was granted home rule by the Danish government, but Denmark remained in control of a number of areas incl. foreign relations, defense, currency matters and the legal system in Greenland after this.
Greenlandic fishing rights
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After wrangling over fishing rights, the territory left the EEC in 1985, but remains subject to the EU treaties through association of Overseas Countries and Territories with the EU. This was permitted by the Greenland Treaty, a special treaty signed in 1984 to allow its withdrawal from the EEC/EU. Greenland is not an EEA or an EFTA member!
In 2008 Greenland's citizens approved the Greenlandic self-government referendum with a 75% vote in favor of a higher degree of autonomy. Greenland took control of law enforcement, the coast guard, and the legal system. The official language changed from Danish to Greenlandic on 21 June 2009, Greenland national day.
As part of the self-rule law of 2009 (section §21), Greenland can declare full independence if they wish to pursue it, but it would have to be approved by a referendum among the Greenlandic people. A poll in 2016 showed that there was a clear majority (64%) for full independence among the Greenlandic people, but a poll in 2017 showed that there was a clear opposition (78%) if it meant a fall in living standards.
