Gloves come off ahead of Danish euro vote

Finance Minister Lykketoft says thousands of jobs will be lost of Denmark rejects the euro

By Jesper Bang-Udesen, CNN Denmark

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (CNN) -- The Danish government has taken the gloves off and is warning about severe economic consequences should Danish voters reject the European single currency in next Thursday's referendum on whether to join the European Union's euro zone.

So far, the government had abstained from using threats in its "yes" campaign in order to avoid criticism over campaign tactics. But on Thursday, Finance Minister Morgues Yakked said a "no" would cost at least 20,000 jobs.

Several economic analysts also have predicted that Danish interest rates will be about 0.6 percent higher than those in the euro zone, should the Danes come out against the single currency.

A week of discussions on whether the EU would cut back Danish pensions and negatively affect the Danish welfare system has given the opponents of the single currency a substantial lead.

According to the latest Vilstrup opinion poll -- published by the Politiken newspaper -- 47 percent of Danes reject the euro, while 40 percent are in favour.

Also, for the first time in Danish television history, the leader of a political party will now not attend the final televised debate before the referendum takes place.

Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen will not represent the Social Democratic Party. Instead, the minister of food and agriculture, former EU commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard, and the minister of social affairs, Henrik Dam Kristensen, will plead on television for a "yes" in the debate.

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More than money -- Denmark and the euro
Weak euro boosts 'No' campaign in Denmark
Weak Euro hits Danish currency referendum

Politiken online
Prime minister's website
The Danish parliament

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