WITH an independence referendum on the horizon, senior Danish politician Bertel Haarder has provided an important insight into Scotland’s future place in the world.

According to Haarder, the chair of Denmark’s foreign affairs committee, an independent Scotland’s relationship with the Nordic Council “should be seen as a parallel to the Nordic-Baltic co-operation”.

Haarder is one of the Danish parliament’s most experienced politicians. He has served as a member of the European Parliament and several times as a minister, including minister for Nordic co-operation.

He was also president of the Nordic Council twice, first in 2011 and then again in 2021. So, naturally, chatting with him about Scotland’s relations with the Nordics was revealing.

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Those against an independent Scotland aligning with the Nordics often say that it does not share enough similarities, particularly in comparison to the rest of the UK.

Haarder does not seem to see this being an issue in Scotland’s future co-operation with the Nordic Council.

He said: “The similarities can be compared to the similarities with the Baltic countries with whom we have frequent meetings.”

The Baltic nations (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) have enjoyed a close relationship with the Nordics, particularly after taking their own paths following the fall of the Soviet Union.

Haarder furthermore emphasises that Scotland’s relationship with the Nordic Council could also share the same footing as the Baltic’s, saying: “In case there is a wish for a formalisation of Nordic-Scottish co-operation that should be seen as a parallel to the Nordic-Baltic co-operation”.

Haarder takes the view that the ball is very much in Scotland’s court, claiming that “It is all up to Scotland to decide the extent to which she wants closer co-operation with the Nordics”.

One of the Nordic Council’s concerns is encouraging understanding of languages across the region, similar to the Scottish government’s efforts to promote Gaelic. When asked about this mutual concern,

Haarder mentions that also within the Nordic Council: “We have some modest programmes supporting the Sami language in the Arctic area”.

The former Nordic Council president also spoke of the role that the body may play in northern European defence if Sweden and Finland join Nato, stating: “The Nordics will certainly increase co-operation even further. We already have intensive cooperation within Nordefco [Nordic Defence Co-operation].

An independent Scotland could also have a role to play in this, Haarder speculated when asked about security in the North Sea region.

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He said: “As far as Scotland remains in Nato – and hopefully joins the EU again, including the defence dimension – our security-cooperation could of course be intensified”.

The veteran member of Denmark’s parliament also had some choice words for Boris Johnson when speaking about how Scottish independence could impact UK relations with the Nordics.

Haarder said: “We regret Brexit and all the Prime Minister’s lies about the EU.”

Yet he seems to see past the self-isolationism of the current Westminster government, stating: “We want the closest relation to the UK in spite of that.”