Alwaght- Danish Defense Minister Jacob Ellemann-Jensen dismissed his ministry's permanent secretary of state on Friday after criticism over the handling of an artillery arms purchase from Israeli regime.
Denmark agreed in January to purchase artillery systems from Israel's Elbit Systems (ESLT.TA) worth $256 million after having donated much of its own weapon systems to Ukraine.
Ahead of the deal, the ministry rushed parliament's finance committee to approve the purchase, saying the company's offer would expire at the end of the month. But the ministry acknowledged earlier this week that Elbit's offer expired only at the end of June.
Ellemann-Jensen apologized earlier this week for his handling of the case and said he had not deliberately provided incorrect information to parliament.
But he called a meeting with members of parliament on Friday and told them he had learned that information he had communicated to parliament earlier in the week was missing important details.
"It is an overall assessment that the close and trusting cooperation that is needed between a minister and a permanent secretary is no longer possible, especially in light of the large and important tasks facing the armed forces," Ellemann-Jensen told reporters after the meeting.
