State research board spent millions on parties
Published: 14 Aug 12 08:55 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/42596/20120814/
The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (Stiftelsen för strategisk forskning - SSF) has spent several million kronor reserved for research on parties, with one million kronor going towards the foundation’s 15th birthday celebration.
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The revelations come just weeks after the news that the Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket) had spent millions on expensive internal entertainment, causing its director general, Christina Lugnet, to be relived of her duties.
The foundation gave 9.3 million kronor to party organizer Michael Bindefeld over the course of three years, but it remains unclear exactly what the money has gone towards, the Dagens Nyheter newspaper (DN) revealed on Tuesday.
The foundation’s 15th year celebration was celebrated in Stockholm’s City Hall, with the Nobel Banquet as a model, and boasted over 500 invited guests including politicians, journalists, directors and governors.
The contract with Bindefeld has been put in question, and foundation head Lard Rask explained that he regretted that he never warned the board of the need to put the contract out to tender.
“We live in a grey area between private and public. But if you look at the existing laws it’s crystal clear, I think it’s crystal clear in any case, that one should put it out to tender,” Rask told the paper.
The payment, which according to DN was only mentioned “in passing” during 2009’s annual report, was labelled as “MBAB information project”.
Fräjdin-Hellqvist admits that the foundation has failed.
“We were wrong not to have put the contract out to tender. We will now go through all the facts that DN published and see what failed and after that we will decide on action. It will go at lightning speed, we started as early as yesterday,” she told the TT news agency.
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What a role model to set for the rest of the country -it is OK to cheat and not be honest (given the latest news of the 600000:- Christmas party not being registered as such in the books).
What happens if the rest of us do this - or is it a case of one rule for us and one rule for the others.
And I help subsidize this through my taxes!
No wonder Sweden is in the state it is - obviously their parents never taught them to be responsible for their money - or maybe they don't consider the money as theirs, so they can do with it what they like
It's getting tiresome to read about all the corruption in various parts of government and private organizations working with the government.
If I were to sack the head of the agency, it will not be because of the money but for such a ridiculous excuse
#4 - It is the way of Swedish politics. Have meetings, cater them and discuss various subjects without reaching any conclusion except that another catered meeting is necessary. Remembering to always make sure that you are in no way held responsible for any action actually taken unless it is successful.
Notice that despite the recent revelations no action will be taken and the government will simply let the furor die away. After all, don't rock the boat. The bureaucratic mantra prevails - "There but for the grace of god go I".