51 Jørgen Steen Sørensen Parliamentary Ombudsman About 5,000 cases pass through the Ombudsman institution each year. Some of them will always stand out for their significant and fundamental aspects. And we know that some of them will attract our special attention. In 2015, the Eritrea case and the case of the refugee advertisements in Lebanese newspapers belonged in the latter category. The two cases had important common denominators: They concerned the subject of immigration. In the public mind, they were connected with the responsible ministers personally. And they concerned the limits to what is often called ministers’ ‘political communication’. I would like to say a few words about the last question: What is ministers’ ‘political communication’? Why is it important? And where are the legal boundaries? LEGAL BOUNDARIES FOR MINISTERS Communication is an important part of the workday of Danish ministers. Issues, great and small, arise, and our 24/7 society demands answers. What does the minister think? Why has the minister not done something about it? What will the minister do now? Can a minister make any kind of statement which is convenient in a given situation? The answer is of course no. For instance, a minister must not mislead Parliament. Make defamatory statements. Or divulge confidential information contrary to his or her duty of confidentiality. The law is unambiguously clear on these points.

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