09/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Danish minister for immigration ousted. Birthe Ronn Hornbech, the Danish minister for immigration, refugees, integration and religion was sacked on Tuesday 8 March, due to a controversy created by the ministry's refusal to grant Danish nationality to 36 young Palestinians born in Denmark, which is contrary to the United Nations conventions. Under the 1961 Convention on stateless individuals, transposed into Danish law, stateless individuals aged between 18 and 21 have the right to the nationality of the country if they have not committed a crime or serious offence. Nonetheless, the Danish immigration services refused to naturalise 36 Palestinians, although they had fulfilled the required criteria. The Danish prime minister, Lars Loekke Rasmussen, announced this dismissal and criticised his minister for not having informed parliament earlier about the shortcomings experienced in the immigration services. According to the Danish press, Hornbech, who has held the post since 2007, had known since 2008 that the immigration services were violating this United Nations Convention. She has been replaced by the minister for cooperation and development, Soeren Pind. (S.P./transl.fl)