Bear south of the money from side: replace the officials
The Swedish Democrats’ assistance foundation Hepatica was founded in 2015 in connection with SD being a term of office in Parliament. All parliamentary parties have party -related organizations – so -called PAO – which through a special program receives money from Sida to work with democracy development in other countries.
According to Björn Söder, there was a reluctance from Sida’s direction from the beginning.
– We were immediately denied funds. How the money was distributed was project -based instead of mandate -based. Then the officials could more easily favor the left, says Björn Söder.
Hepatica had to rely on its own collections, which could sometimes withdraw over hundreds of thousands of kronor. The money could go to relief efforts in Syria, Ukraine and Sweden.
– We have, among other things, built a pharmacy in a Christian village in Syria, sent food packages via churches to refugees in Lebanon, helped single mothers at Christmas time and distributed food vouchers to pensioners in Sweden. One of our latest collections went to a Swedish girl who was denied care in Sweden but got it in China and survived because of it, says Björn Söder.
But after the 2022 election changed Instead, the rules of the new government and the money would be distributed by mandate.
Last year, Hepatica was able to get money from Sida for the first time, but the foundation did not receive full support. The same thing happened this year. According to Sida it depends on lack of quality and relevance in the Swedish Democrats’ project. But Björn Söder believes that this is because Sida’s officers do not comply with the government’s regulations.
– It is examined at an unreasonable level of detail before the money can even be paid out. For example, an officer asks which room we should have a conference in. It is not their task, he says.
How come you discussed Sida’s handling of hepatica with Minister of Defense Minister of State Diana Janse?
– If we feel that Sida does not work according to the government’s decision, we must flag. The government governs through regulatory letters. If we have officials who ignore what the government has decided, we must lift it, it is natural, says Björn Söder.
You say, according to a protocol, at a meeting between Sida and Hepatica that the Secretary of State has promised that you will receive full support. Has Diana Janse promised you?
– But she stated that in the regulatory letter it was very clear that what we were entitled to would be paid out. And it is about serious projects that may now collapse because the money will not come. For example, a project with Zelenskyj’s youth council.
At a meeting with Sida on March 26, Söder, according to a service note, must have referred to direct contact with the Secretary of State. He says he does not know exactly what has been documented when he has not seen the meeting protocol.
– I have described to her how we were treated and what problems we have seen.
During the meeting on March 26, according to a service note from Sida, you have attacked an administrator. What is your version of what happened?
– It was a very unpleasant and nonchalant behavior towards my employees from one of the managers. I said I thank myself for expressing yourself that way. We said that we feel that the manager is acting activist. It is thumbs up or thumbs down depending on the day form. How side calls what happened must stand for them.
Söder says he stands for what he said.
– I am a politician, then you have to say what you think. I can express myself in a different way than a government official.
Do you consider it compatible with your role as a member of parliament to propose in a government meeting that an official should be replaced?
– I see no problems with that. Many officials in Sweden should be replaced. Especially those who have a political agenda but are called unpolitical.
Björn Söder has written in social media that Sida should be closed down. He also stuck to that.
– That’s my definite opinion. Not because there is not an aid authority, it should. But it would be good if Sida was closed down, so you can build a new authority. Sida is full of activist officials and too large as well.
Björn Söder has also called Diana Janse in social media for Sweden’s best secretary of state.
Does it have anything to do with how she handled Hepatica?
– No, but that is because since she became secretary of state, I think that she, together with the ministers we have had, has been very good, says Björn Söder.
Sida’s Director General Jakob Granit, who previously backed the officials’ assessment and the decision to reject money to the SD Foundation, at the end of May gave green light for a broader interpretation. It is now possible to pay almost SEK 14 million to the Swedish Democrats’ hepatica.
DN has sought Diana Janse.
Read more:
