Panama papers: 51 Danes named in tax shelter scandal

It isn’t just companies and rich Danes that have set up shell companies in Panama.

A review of documents leaked from Mossack Fonseca by Politiken reveals that 51 Danish nationals have provided the Panamanian law firm with their passport details, an indication they have used the company for tax avoidance purposes, writes seven59.dk

A landscape gardener from Jutland told Politiken that he has been advised by Nordea to set up a company in Panama, but claimed he wasn’t liable to pay taxes in this country at the time as he was residing and working in Canada and Australia. The list also includes architects, farmers, owners of small investment advisory companies, and freight forwarders.

Opposition demands public hearing

In response to the growing scandal the five opposition parties have joined together to demand a public hearing on the tax shelter problem, where they will invite banks, foreign aid organisations and independent tax experts to offer their views.

The Red/Geens’ tax spokesman Rune Lund said last night:

“It’s wrong when companies and wealthy Danes speculate and cheat to avoid paying tax while ordinary taxpayers keep the welfare state going. Tax shelters are one of the biggest threats to our society and need to be shut down.”

Read the article on the Danish news site Politiken.dk here and tv2.dk here

universitypost@adm.ku.dk

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