Criticism over free festival tickets for local politicians

A legal expert has condemned as unlawful a scheme in which eight members of Nyborg municipal council received free entry to the Ny(d)borg Live music festival after attending a short business event.

The normal ticket price for the 6 June event on Cirkuspladsen was 695 kroner plus fees, but council members gained free wristbands by first joining a 15-minute business gathering on the festival site, according to documents obtained by DR from Nyborg Municipality.

Sten Bønsing, professor of administrative law at Aalborg University, said the practice violates rules on gifts to public officials. He argued that merely attending a brief meeting with organisers and local business figures does not constitute a representative function that would justify free access to the festival.

“There needs to be a more concrete purpose than just walking around, listening to good music, and eating food,” Bønsing said.

Social Democrat Lone Smidt, first deputy mayor of Nyborg, defended her participation, stating that attending the business event and experiencing a municipality-funded cultural event served a representative purpose.

Public opinion in Nyborg was divided. Resident Laila Pors questioned the neutrality of accepting such benefits, while Jonas Rasmussen argued politicians deserved free entry given their role in bringing the festival to the city.

Frederik Waage, a law professor at the University of Southern Denmark, saw no immediate issue, noting that spending time learning about the festival could justify the free access. Bønsing disagreed, maintaining the practice was illegal.