There has been debate in the media, particularly in Sweden, since the Danish People's Party questioned the right of Nordic citizens to live anywhere in the Nordic region because of the increasing number of immigrants in Sweden. Halldór Ásgrímsson, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, has defended the freedom of residence in several Nordic newspapers.
The Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers wrote in 'Jyllands-Posten':
"If the proposal were to be carried into effect it would be a significant breach of the leading principles of the last decades of Nordic co-operation: the principle of the right of Nordic citizens to live, work and commute between the Nordic countries. A large survey from 2006 conducted amongst the residents in the Nordic countries shows, moreover, that the right to live and work in the Nordic countries is prioritised as one of the five most important areas within Nordic co-operation. Thus this demand from the Danish People's Party would be a deathblow for some of the rights considered most important in the Nordic communities".
"Across party lines there is, however, agreement amongst the Nordic governments to go in the other direction: to remove obstacles to freedom of movement between the Nordic countries. There is, in fact, agreement to speed this work up. People in the Nordic countries should and must be able to travel freely and commute between the countries without a feeling of losing their personal or economic freedom".
"The almost doubling of traffic over the Øresund Bridge since it opened shows just how important freedom of movement is for this region that I myself have just moved to. Right now the labour market in Denmark is crying out for workers. It is therefore more relevant than ever before that we make sure that mobility is not hindered so that people in the Nordic countries can work or study out of their home town".