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Greenland’s PM takes leave for heart operation

Ritzau/The Local
Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Greenland’s PM takes leave for heart operation
Kim Kielsen. File photo: Simon Læssøe/Ritzau Scanpix

Kim Kielsen, the leader of Greenland’s autonomous government, is to temporarily step back from his duties to have heart surgery.

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The head of the autonomous government on the vast icy island, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, is to take two weeks off due to the medical issue, Greenlandic media Sermitsiaq reports.

“I am often accused of being too passive, but I’ve not actually been on holiday for several years. That doesn’t bother me because I have pledged to take responsibility for (Greenland’s) political direction, and I don’t want to run from that responsibility in any way,” Kielsen said.

“But now I simply must follow doctors’ advice. I have therefore informed the Greenland government that I will be on leave for 14 days from now,” he told Sermitsiaq.

The exact nature of Kielsen’s complaint is unknown, but the Greenlandic newspaper reports he is to follow a 14-day course of medicine prior to the procedure.

Kielsen, who has been Greenland’s prime minister since 2014, was recently in the international spotlight in connection with US president Donald Trump’s unsolicited speculation about buying the autonomous territory from Denmark. The suggestion was dismissed by Kielsen and Danish PM Mette Frederiksen.

“I won’t hide the fact that many people in Greenland think this discussion about a sale has been difficult, and Kim Kielsen has made it very clear that Greenland is not for sale, and I support that,” Frederiksen said following Trump’s cancellation of his Danish state visit.

READ ALSO: Five things to know about Greenland

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