Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

Carl Bildt cast as ‘Ottoman Swede’

Politics: September 13th, 2007 by PO

Sweden’s foreign minister looks to the break-up of the Ottoman Empire for clues on the future of Iraq.

“From Bihac to Basra,” he said, referring to towns in western Bosnia and Southern Iraq, “these things take time and benchmarks don’t count for much.”

Roger Cohen recounts a recent meeting with Carl Bildt.

Sweden takes a gamble

Politics, Society: September 12th, 2007 by PO

The Washington Times casts an eye over Sweden’s gambling monopoly:

Sweden says the monopoly is needed to protect the public from “addiction,” illegal rackets and fraud. But EU regulators don’t buy the argument.

Iranian news channel adds new twist to Muhammad saga

Politics, Society: September 7th, 2007 by PO

Press TV, a news outlet funded by the Iranian government, has a curious take on an article from Agence France Presse (AFP) concerning Sweden’s ongoing Muhammad cartoon row:

Muslim organizations have voiced their contempt for the prime minister’s efforts at dialogue, and the Oerebro Muslim community cancelled a demonstration planned for Friday.

With access to the same AFP text, we at The Local couldn’t help but notice that the Press TV people had mangled the original somewhat. It reads as follows:

Muslim organisations said they were pleased with Reinfeldt’s efforts at dialogue, and the day after the meeting the Muslim community in Oerebro, where Nerikes Allehanda is based, said it had cancelled a demonstration planned for Friday.

So which is it to be? Did they voice their contempt or express their pleasure?

The answer can be found in a news item earlier in the week, again from AFP:

“There is no reason anymore to demonstrate again,” the head of the Muslim cultural centre at Örebro, Jamal Lahamdi, who had organized two earlier protests, told AFP.

The next protest had been planned for Friday.

“The dialogue is good. The talks organized by the prime minister yesterday are a very good step,” he added.

Click here for full coverage of the Muhammad cartoon controversy.

Footnote (September 9th)

The passage in the Press TV article has now been changed to read:

Muslim organizations have voiced their satisfaction over the prime minister’s efforts at dialogue, and the Oerebro Muslim community cancelled a demonstration planned for Friday.

‘Another Blasphemous Caricature’

Politics: August 31st, 2007 by PO

Arab News reports on the Muhammad caricature controversy with quotes from the head of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu strongly condemned the newspaper for publishing the blasphemous caricature and said that this was an irresponsible and despicable act with mala fide and provocative intentions in the name of freedom of expression. He said the caricature was intended to solely insult and arouse the sentiments of Muslims of the world.

Blix urges US to offer Iran security guarantee

Politics: August 31st, 2007 by PO

Sweden’s former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix is advising the United States to cut Iran some slack and follow the path of diplomacy, the International Herald Tribune reports.

That approach — “a leaning toward diplomacy which we have seen in the case of North Korea” — has not been used with Iran, Blix said.

“On the contrary you have three U.S. aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf which the Iranians may see as needing to protect themselves from in future,” he told reporters in Wellington.

Quebec right to follow Swedish model – but for the wrong reasons

Economics, Politics: July 19th, 2007 by PR

The Montreal Economic Institute has responded to suggestions from “certain Quebec intellectuals” that the Canadian province could do worse than follow the Swedish model. The institute agrees, but reckons the intellectuals have misunderstood Sweden’s success.

“The Swedish model works because the country had the courage to liberalize its economy,” argues the institute.

Yanick Labrie, an associate researcher at the Institute, concludes that “unlike the situation often prevailing in Quebec, the government and various groups in Sweden have taken a pragmatic approach and have not been afraid to question dogmas that were paralyzing the country’s economy, including the sacred nature of the welfare state and the public sector.”

‘Keep trading with Musim countries’ – Tolgfors

Business, Politics: July 4th, 2007 by PO

Trade Minister Sten Tolgfors talks to the Associated Press about, among other things, the importance of maintaining good trade relations with the Muslim world.

“We have to see the opportunities to build bridges with the Muslim world and the opportunities that trade presents.”

Expressen ‘reveals’ CIA spy story – really?

Media, Newsbites, Politics, Sweden abroad: June 28th, 2007 by JS

Now, I don’t usually think that bashing other media in Sweden, big or small, gets anyone very far, but just for the record I think it’s worth pointing out that Expressen.se is currently leading with a story that The Local was the first to break in Sweden yesterday.

The story, that US spies infiltrated the Swedish anti-Vietnam War movement, was revealed in newly declassified CIA documents. We know Expressen found it through us because Expressen’s reporter contacted our reporter, Paul O’Mahony, after seeing our story, to get a link to the document. Paul gave him the link.

When they published today, not only was there no reference to The Local (bad manners, but we’ll live), but the article was prefaced by the claim that ‘Expressen revealed’ the story. They have done their own interviews and gathered material, but their claim that they ‘revealed’ the story is inaccurate. As we know that they saw it on The Local first, it is more than inaccurate: it’s a deliberate untruth.

Carl Bildt and hate speech laws

Politics, Society: June 26th, 2007 by PO

The good people of Slashdot debate the news that Carl Bildt is being investigated by a prosecutor because of inflammatory remarks made by others in the comments section of his blog.

Says one Slashdot commenter:

Pay attention everyone; expecially those of you who support hate crime and speech laws. This is what happens when you regulate certain “unacceptable” kinds of speech with the intent of “correcting” unpopular beliefs.

“Thoughtcrime” won’t be relegated to fiction for long.

Sweden loses vodka fight

Newsbites, Politics: June 21st, 2007 by PO

Sweden was among a group of countries disappointed by the European Parliament’s decision not to limit the definition of what constitutes vodka.

The so-called “vodka belt” countries wanted to restrict the term to spirits made only from potatoes or grain.

But a majority of members voted in favour of a looser definition.

Russia to lift Swedish poultry ban

Business, Politics: June 21st, 2007 by PO

Following a meeting with Agriculture Minister Eskil Erlandsson, Russian authorities are expected to lift a three year ban on imports of animal feed and poultry products from Sweden.

The discussion revolved around the safety of animal feed and poultry products that have been banned since 2004 following an outbreak of Newcastle disease in Sweden. The new agreement will also allow the export of poultry breeding stock into Russia.

Parliament clears privatization plans

Business, Politics: June 21st, 2007 by PO

The Swedish parliament has given the go-ahead for the state to sell its shares in state-owned companies such as drinks maker Vin & Sprit.

Sweden’s largest-ever privatisation push is expected to raise at least 150 billion Swedish crowns ($21.67 billion) over three years to pay down debt.

Vin & Sprit, which analysts see fetching $5-$6 billion, has so far been the star of the sales catalogue, drawing interest on both sides of the Atlantic.

End of the road for Sweden’s ‘tarnished socialist dream’?

Politics: June 18th, 2007 by PO

Has Sweden turned its back on socialism? Josiah R. Baker of the The Washington Times seems to think so:

At age 41, Mr. Reinfeldt is a member of this younger generation of Swedes that strives to embrace the changing global economy while adjusting existing cultural and institutional rules away from a tarnished socialist dream that sheltered Sweden for so many years.

Vladimir Putin invites Swedish King to 2014 Winter Olympics

Newsbites, Politics, Sport: June 15th, 2007 by PO

Sweden’s King Karl XVI Gustav was in Moscow to meet President Putin on Thursday.

The King is reported to have been somewhat taken aback when Putin invited him to attend the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, mainly because Russia hasn’t yet won the right to host the event:

“Well, that’s a long way off,” the king mumbled. “It is hard to get the Olympics. Sweden has tried for a long time to receive the right to host the Olympic Games, but so far without luck…”

‘Government in danger of collapse’

Politics: June 13th, 2007 by PO

Australia’s Melbourne Community Voice gets it wrong.

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt’s coalition government is in danger of collapse, with eight parliamentary members of Reinfeldt’s own Conservative Moderate Party threatening to revolt if the party does not officially support gay marriage legislation.

While there is disagreement on the gay marriage issue, no Swedish media have suggested anything like an imminent collapse for the centre-right government.

Foreign trade minister visits South Korea

Business, Politics: June 13th, 2007 by PO

Anybody worried as to the whereabouts of Sten Tolgfors? Fret not, the minister for foreign trade has just been to South Korea, The Seoul Times reports:

“South Korea is a significant cooperation partner for Sweden and an increasingly important global actor,” said the minister. “Trade between our two countries has great potential.”

Sweden sends top-level delegation to Barents Sea

Business, Politics: June 11th, 2007 by PO

Sweden’s foreign and trade ministers paid a visit to Statoil’s Melkøya gas plant on Sunday.

The Swedish Foreign Minister said to NRK Radio that the High North is getting more and more important for all the Nordic countries, as well as Russia. –The Barents Sea could become one of the most important energy provinces in Europe and the world, he stressed.

Analysts believe that the Barents Sea potentially could become an important oil and gas export region also for Sweden.

The Barents Observer has more.

Wallström should decide who she works for

Politics: March 19th, 2007 by JS

The news that European Commissioner Margot Wallström is to have a senior role in helping the Social Democrats reform their foreign policy has raised a few eyebrows.

Wallström, as practically the only senior Social Democrat who is personally popular with the electorate, is being brought in not so much for her political wisdom, one suspects, but as a poster girl for the party’s campaign to get back into power.

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has already criticized the fact that the Vice President of the European Commission would have a key official role in a Swedish political party. He has a good point.

Commissioners are usually (failed or exiled) politicians in their home countries, and it is normal for a commissioner to maintain links with his or her own party. But commissioners are also supposed to act in the interests of the whole of the EU.

The feeble EU code of conduct does little to prevent commissioners using the influence derived from their unelected position to favour national political parties. The code of conduct merely says:’Commissioners may be active members of political parties or trade unions, provided that this does not compromise their availability for service in the Commission’.

But the fact that something does not break an EU code of conduct (itself cobbled together to represent the lowest common denominator of that to which EU member states were willing to agree) does not mean it is appropriate.

Indeed, it is surely entirely wrong for an unelected civil servant with massive public resources at her disposal to take an active daily role in party politics. Wallström’s appointment runs until 2009, and there’s nothing any elected politician in Sweden can do to remove her. She, however, should show some integrity and decide who she works for – the people of Europe or her cronies in the Social Democrats.

An antiquated way to choose an unpopular leader

Politics: March 16th, 2007 by JS

The news that only half of Social Democrat voters have confidence in Sahlin to do the job must be worrying news for party hacks – it is also the best argument for her to be put to the test in a real vote of party members.

The mysterious way in which Sweden’s party chooses its leader – with an anonymous committee presenting one candidate to members – is reminiscent of the way the British Tory Party used to choose its leaders until the sixties. A group of vaguely-defined party dignitaries would gather in smoke-filled rooms and pick a leader from a list of the usual suspects – always men. The Social Democrats are now doing the same thing. No smoke, of course, and from a list of just women, but in a system just as antiquated.

This process would barely have legitimacy if the ‘magic circle’ of Social Democratic functionaries had managed to select someone who was universally acclaimed as the right woman for the job. Given that they have chosen someone the party barely wants, you have to ask whether Sahlin can really give Social Democracy the boost it needs.

Persson’s memoirs should not be subsidised

Politics: March 9th, 2007 by PR

The news that Göran Persson is to receive 700,000 kronor to write his memoirs is proving to be a hot topic among readers of The Local.

Late last year, controversial columnist Linda Skugge ruffled feathers when she lambasted fellow scribes who take state funding to churn out books that nobody wants to read.

This time it’s not the Swedish Authors’ Fund that’s doling out the cash but a Bank of Sweden foundation. Nevertheless, it’s public money: Persson is being paid by the state to write about his time doing a job that the state paid him to do. But will the profits go to the Swedish state? Or will the book be free to Swedish taxpayers? Of course not – if you want the glossy hardback you’ll have to get in line and Persson will pocket the proceeds.

As Croydonian pointed out, it doesn’t say much for Persson’s writing ability that even as a former long-serving prime minister he needs a state subsidy to cover the cost of the research for his book. Normally that’s what publishers’ advances are for.

Every krona Persson makes from this book should be returned to the foundation until the 700,000 kr is repaid. You can’t expect state subsidies to finance private gains. That’s just so pre September 17th 2006.