• Sweden edition

Bildt in tax probe over nanny’s fees

Published: 21 Nov 09 08:55 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23394/20091121/

Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt and his wife EU parliamentarian Anna Maria Corazza Bildt have been reprimanded by the Swedish tax authority for dodging payments for their Ukrainian nanny.

According to newspaper Aftonbladet, the Bildts have not paid employer contribution fees or preliminary tax for the 47-year-old woman whose salary for the tax year 2008 amounted to around 8,000 kronor ($1,152) per month.

Since being employed by the couple, the nanny has not declared her income to Swedish authorities either.

When details of the situation emerged last year, Carl Bildt claimed that payments for the nanny's services had been made in Italy and were in order.

Further to the allegations, the Swedish tax authority (Skatteverket) decided to investigate the case.

Since the woman is registered at the same address as the couple they concluded that she is obliged to pay taxes in Sweden.

For the 2007 tax year the nanny was liable for taxes amounting to 100,000 kronor ($14,410) in addition to employer contribution payments the Bildt’s should have paid.

“It is a complicated situation,” Corazza Bildt told Aftonbladet. “But if we have made a mistake we will, of course, pay and make it right.”

Cecilia Johnson Tidu, Skatteverket’s handling office in the case, says all responsibility lies with the Bildts.

“The employer has responsibility to report income statements to Skatteverket, pay preliminary tax as well as national insurance fees for their employee.”

TT/Christine Demsteader (news@thelocal.se)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Fark It! Digg This  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This

Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

15:58 November 21, 2009 by dogbasket
Here we go again. Aftonbladet has a personal agenda against Carl Bildt. Same socialist trash the whole time. The Local would do better without repeating such awful so-called journalism.

This story was up a few months ago, and seems to revolve around in which country the nanny spends more than 181 days of the year. As far as I understand, she spends less than six months of the year in Sweden, which is why she is declared and taxed in another European country than Sweden. Carl Bildt and his wife do not spend Sunday afternoons around the kitchen table filling in tax forms. Instead, they employ one of Sweden's top fiscal and accounting firms to take care of their tax returns and legalities.

Seems like the tax authorities dislike the argument about where the nanny spends most of her time. Probably some hard-line socialist at Skatteverket who examined the file. In the meantime, please give us a break with such so-called news items.
18:54 November 21, 2009 by Alma
Where's there smoke, there's fire.

Mr. Carl Bildt has been involved in one too many controversies.
19:39 November 21, 2009 by ingvar
How greedy, arrogant and impudent one should be to "forget" about these minor tax issues being such a public person as a minister. This clearly demonstrates what your politicians really think about you Swedish people.
20:05 November 21, 2009 by dogbasket
Dagens Nyheter, Svenska Dagbladet and Expressen have now removed the "story" from their net editions. Aftonbladet has moved it way, way down.

So much for that spectacular piece of news. Cheers.
21:21 November 21, 2009 by Trowbridge H. Ford
Looks to me like a convenient diversion to help Mr.Big Mouth for lipping off about the curent EU leadership.
03:44 November 22, 2009 by Great Scott
Same old story, the filthy stinking rich Tories trying to play innocent. This guy and his side kicks are nothing short of pathetic. Own up and be honest, woops criminals never do this.
11:59 November 22, 2009 by glamshek
Mr.Bildt has been involved in controversies with Israel. Bildt should keep his head down when dealing with Israel.
13:04 November 23, 2009 by Beynch
While this type of offense is considerably more common amongst the social democrats, in the U.S. officials lose ther position over this. The story doezs not reveal if the nanny is an illegal alien or a legal one. In either case, pay up Bildt, or resign!
20:26 November 23, 2009 by Flaav33
I do not get what Israel has to do with tax fraude and taking advantage of Eastern Europeans...Nobody over here cares about Israel...

Another thing: it is not a problem that this person did not pay his taxes...the problem is that he should get the highes fine possible for taxfraude and exploitation. Rich people in Sweden pay their au-pairs 3500 sek per month. A nanny that has a legal contract and works at least 8 h a day should get the minimum salary like everyone else.
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Swedish blogger snaps commuting 'macho men'

Swedish blogger snaps commuting 'macho men'

A Stockholm woman fed up with male passengers on public transport taking up the space of women sitting next to them, has started a blog snapping secret pics of straddle-legged commuters and posting them on the internet. READ (34 COMMENTS) »

Swedish town gives 'Negro Village' new name

Swedish town gives 'Negro Village' new name

A suburb of Mjällby, southern Sweden, known by locals as ‘Negro Village’ for forty years, will be changing its name after a storm of recent attention. READ (12 COMMENTS) »

German 'tourist' living in Gothenburg airport

A 27-year-old German man has been living at the Gothenburg Landvetter airport for two months having no wish to return to Germany and nowhere to go in Sweden. READ (12 COMMENTS) »

Dramatic rise in dementia numbers in Sweden

Dramatic rise in dementia numbers in Sweden

Every second Swede is at risk of developing dementia, according to a new study from Umeå University, which concentrated on the 85+ population in northern Sweden. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

Masked man raped cyclist in Malmö park

After a 28-year-old woman was pulled off her bicycle and raped by an unidentified assailant in Malmö over the weekend, and police are fearing it could be the work of a budding serial rapist. READ (16 COMMENTS) »

Narcolepsy victims in new compensation bid

Narcolepsy victims in new compensation bid

Families of children in Sweden suffering from narcolepsy caused by vaccination for the swine flu can expect some form of compensation, Swedish health minister Göran Hägglund said on Sunday in response to new calls for help from parents. READ (1 COMMENT) »

Löfven ready to negotiate over nuclear power

Löfven ready to negotiate over nuclear power

The new leader of the Social Democrats Stefan Löfven has indicated he's ready to negotiate with the government over the future of nuclear power despite a previous party decision to phase out nuclear energy in Sweden. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

One in five Swedes 'believes in ghosts'

One in five Swedes 'believes in ghosts'

One in five Swedes believes that people rise from the grave after they've died, a new survey has shown. READ (15 COMMENTS) »

More Politics

Highlights from Follow Sweden

20 things to know before moving to Sweden

As diverse as Sweden is, there are a few societal norms that are distinctly Swedish. Understanding a handful of them will hopefully prepare you culturally before you relocate. When you're invited home to a Swede, you better be on time and take your shoes off, writes expat Lola Akinmade-Åkerström. Read more »

How far can English take you in Sweden?

Sweden is a country where almost everyone can speak English. So why bother to learn Swedish? Edina Varnagy from Hungary managed with English for a whole year but then found that Swedish could open doors – to a job, a social life and greater understanding. Read more »

Find a new job in Sweden now
13/02 Build Manager
EA DICE
Stockholm
13/02 Build IT Technician
EA DICE
Stockholm
13/02 Accountant (m/f)
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Göteborg
13/02 Line Manager
EA DICE
Stockholm
13/02 YOUNG TALENT PROGRAM - AUTOMATION ENGINEER FOOD PROCESSING
Tetra Pak
Lund
13/02 Marketing Campaign Manager
Proffice Sverige AB
VTG

ALL JOBS »



Blog Update: Julie's Nordic Island

12 February 21:30

The consciousness of one »

"The ice dripped in the winter sun. It was the first day when the light had been intense enough to cause dripping in the sunlight. To hear it was an extraordinary wakeup call. The cycle was happening again as it always does, always will (or so we think). I imagined that on my summer island, the bees..." READ »

Highlights
The Local
SOCIETY »
The Local's Oliver Gee finds out why the star of Sweden's version of 'The Office' thinks Sweden is the most PC country in the world
Micheal Brauer/Flickr (File)
SCIENCE & TECH »
'Drunkorexia' on the rise in Sweden: report
Alexander Lervik and Johan Carper
LIFESTYLE »
Seven Swedish designs that will blow your mind
Eva Rinadi Celebrity and Live Music Photography/Flickr
SOCIETY »
Star Wars in Swedish causes fan outrage
www.dotoday.se
LIFESTYLE »
What's On: The Local's guide to upcoming attractions and events in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.
OLIKA Publishing
OPINION »
The Swedish language needs a new pronoun free of preconceived notions about gender, a Swedish linguist and representatives from a publishing house argue
Madonna set for July 4th concert in Sweden
SOCIETY »
Madonna set for July 4th concert in Sweden
TV4
GALLERY »
An inside look at 'The Office' in Swedish
Georgios M.W (File)
SOCIETY »
Swedish mother gave 3-year-old cigs and beer
Photo: Fredrik Persson/Scanpix
SOCIETY »
A duvet cover designed to look like cardboard boxes, on sale at a luxury department store in Stockholm, has some arguing that the city's homeless are being exploited for profit.
Ann Catrin Brockman/Flickr (File)
LIFESTYLE »
Five Swedish songs that never made Eurovision
Q&A with Swenglish comedy star Ben Kersley
LIFESTYLE »
Swenglish comedy star Ben Kersley explains how ‘three bespectacled English guys’ plan to make Swedes laugh
Photo: Screenshot YouTube
SOCIETY »
Move over Bugs – a Swedish bunny is rapidly becoming the most popular rabbit in the world!
Photo: Sony Pictures
SPONSORED ARTICLE
How Millennium films tap deep into Swedish angst
Photo: Helena Wahlman
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Braving the cold: Ten reasons to spend winter in Sweden
Photo: ECLA
SPONSORED ARTICLE
A truly international education at the heart of Berlin
Highlights from Follow Sweden
Swedish word of the day

fin

adjective

Fin means anyhting from sweet to proper. When someone says, Du är så fin it's quite a compliment.

Latest news from The Local in Germany

More news from Germany at thelocal.de

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

Latest news from The Local in France

More news from France at thelocal.fr

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no

Blog
Highlights from Follow Sweden
New book about Sweden – get to know the country

Sweden – Up North, Down to Earth is a book about Sweden today. A country of natural beauty and open space, and a society focused on equality, human rights and sustainability. Meet regular and astonishing Swedes, supercars and indie rock bands, vampires and royalties.

Buy your copy of Sweden – Up North, Down to Earth from Sweden Bookshop

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

Jobs in Sweden, in English

512 jobs available
216 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Get on the Tennis Court with www.babolatshop.se
The new Online Tennis Store with the largest selection of Babolat Products in Sweden
http://www.babolatshop.se
Turning Point Counseling
Turning Point Counselling centre offers the international community of Stockholm a safe space for personal development, counselling and coaching.
http://www.turning-point.se/show.asp
Swedish Down Town
Swedish Down Town PR Consulting and Productions is an innovative business company which provides valuable assistance with Public Relations and Communications in the swedish and the international market.
www.swedishdowntown.com
The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
English Speaking Therapist Stockholm
British-Australian Male Counsellor. Counselling Therapy for Depression, Mental Health, Sex, Relationship & Expat Issues
08-559 22 636 or CLICK HERE
Counseling in English
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
Doctor of Psychology
Therapy in English in Stockholm Trained in California Individuals & Couples (08) 93 81 48 FREE phone consultation
Visit anxiousorblue.se