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QURAN BURNINGS

Sweden launches inquiry into stopping Quran burnings on security grounds

Sweden's government on Friday launched an inquiry into changing the Public Order Act to make it possible to stop protests, such as Quran burnings, if they represent a security threat.

Sweden launches inquiry into stopping Quran burnings on security grounds
Sweden's Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer announces the new inquiry at a press conference on Friday. Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT

The inquiry comes after Sweden’s appeals court ruled in June that police had been wrong to deny permission for two Quran-burning protests in February on the grounds that they represented a broader security risk. The court ruled that the Public Order Act as it stands only empowers the police to take into account risks to public safety in the immediate area where an event is taking place. 

This left police powerless to stop a succession of Quran-burning protests in June and July, which led to condemnation from Muslim countries around the world, the storming of Sweden’s embassy in Iraq, and calls from at least five militant Islamic groups for terror reprisals. 

“We are taking responsibility in a difficult situation,” Sweden’s justice minister, Gunnar Strömmer, said at a press conference.  

The government has appointed Matthias Larsson, the Director General of the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, to chair the inquiry, which is titled “Increased protection for Sweden’s security at public gatherings”. 

According to the “committee directive“, Larsson should by July 2024 propose changes to the law which will allow that “circumstances which threaten Sweden’s security can be taken into account in the process of deciding on permissions for public gatherings, and in weighing up whether to cancel or break up public gatherings”. 

He will work together on these proposals with a committee of MPs from both government and opposition parties.

Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the far-right Sweden Democrats party, criticised the government for bending in the face of international pressure over the Quran burnings.  

“Even if different values always need to be weighed against each other, the Sweden Democrats are never going to accept that we adjust our behaviour in the face of threats and pressure from Islamists and dictators,” he said in written comment. 

In a joint article in the Dagens Nyheter newspaper, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and Ebba Busch and Johan Pehrson, the leaders of Sweden’s two other coalition parties, stressed that the government had not yet decided that police should gain new grounds to stop public gatherings.  

“This is about strengthening Sweden’s legislative readiness against various types of serious threat against Swedes and Swedish interests,” they wrote. “That’s to say, that we are now making sure that there is legislative work prepared which will allow action to be taken in the future if it is required. And that of course must be considered carefully.”

In the article, they explained that Public Order Act, as framed today only gives the government powers to intervene stop, move or break up gatherings “in the event of war or the risk of war”. 

“This means that there is a hole here between ‘the danger of war’ and public disorder in a specific place and this is a security vulnerability,” they wrote.   

At the press conference, Strömmer said that the government was determined that no changes should be made to any of Sweden’s constitutional laws, and there would be no ban on the desecration of religious texts, or similar additional measures to protect religious sensibilities. 

“There are no plans to bring in some kind of crime against the freedom of religion or any changes to hate laws,” he said. “Our starting point is to make no constitutional changes.”

Member comments

  1. Enough with Koran burning. When you are the tenth or twentieth… person to burn a Koran, it is no longer about a protest it is about garnering attention or provocation or anything but a protest.

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WHAT CHANGES IN SWEDEN

New laws, events and a ministerial pay rise: What changes in Sweden in July

New Swedish laws often come into force at six month intervals in January or July, so there are more changes than usual this month.

New laws, events and a ministerial pay rise: What changes in Sweden in July

NEW LAWS:

Increased powers to locate people evading prosecution

This new law, due to come into force on July 1st, will make it possible for authorities to secretly monitor electronic communication and data if it is deemed necessary in order to find a wanted individual, as well as making it easier for authorities to find foreigners who they deem to be a risk to Swedish security.

It can only be used to aid the enforcement of sentences for people who have been sentenced to prison, forensic psychiatric care or closed youth care.

Better support for students with special needs

Schools who teach students with special educational needs are currently eligible for a so-called tilläggsbelopp or supplementary amount, an extra subsidy on top of the basic funds paid by the municipality to the school, which varies depending on the need of the pupil.

Currently, the application process is often complicated and many students in need of support have to fight to be granted it. 

This new law aims to make the application process more streamlined and equal, cutting down on admin for schools, pupils and municipalities.

It’s due to come into force on July 1st, but it won’t be applied in schools until the autumn term.

Abolishing requirement for business owners to keep original accounting records

Another law due to come into force on July 1st will abolish the requirement for businesses to keep the originals of any paper accounting documents. From next month, businesses will no longer need to do this if documents have been digitalised.

It will also remove the rule stipulating that a company must hire the same auditing form to carry out both accounting and auditing tasks, instead allowing companies to hire auditors while using separate technical solutions for their own accounting.

Temporary increase in the ROT deduction

Sweden’s so-called ROT deduction offers tax reductions for the labour cost of repairs, conversion or extension work. It is closely linked to the RUT deduction, which offers similar discounts for domestic work, like cleaning, garden work, childminding or laundry services.

Currently, the ROT deduction capped at 50,000 kronor, with a combined cap of 75,000 kronor for both RUT and ROT combined.

From July 1st until December 31st, this cap will be temporarily raised and instead of a combined cap of 75,000 kronor for RUT and ROT together, individual caps will be introduced. This means that taxpayers will be able to deduct a maximum of 75,000 kronor for RUT and a further 75,000 kronor for ROT work for 2024 as a whole.

Changes to school law to provide better access to paper textbooks

Another law due to come into force on July 1st will change the school law to require that students have free access to textbooks, as well as any other learning materials and tools they need for their studies.

This is part of a larger government goal to reduce the use of screens in schools, invest in school librarians and give schools more funding to buy physical books.

OTHER NEWS:

Pay rise for Swedish ministers

Swedish government ministers are getting paid more from the start of July. Their monthly salaries have been raised 3.7 percent, according to a decision by parliament’s Ministerial Remunerations Board.

The pay review, which happens every year, means that Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson gets a 7,000 kronor pay rise, with his monthly salary going up to 198,000 kronor. The other ministers’ salaries have been raised by 5,500 kronor to 156,000 kronor.

Schoolchildren (and most adults) on holiday throughout Sweden 

With schools across Sweden finishing the school year in the last two weeks of June, almost all children in Sweden are on holiday throughout July. Most adults in Sweden also take at least three weeks off in the summer, starting either in the first or second week of July.

So if you’re not taking time off, be warned: it can be difficult to get any responses from people you work with, either inside your own company, or in other companies in July. 

EVENTS THIS MONTH:

Sthlm Fields

Sthlm Fields festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year. The event will see top artists, both national and international, play at Gärdet in Stockholm. The performers will include Toto, Doja Cat and Molly Sandén. Bars, food stalls and merchandise stands will be located within the grounds, too.

There are no spaces for camping on the festival grounds, so you’ll have to find somewhere to stay in Stockholm during the festival.

Daily tickets start from 795 kronor and the full access ticket starts at 2,595 kronor.

Where: Central Stockholm

When: June 28th-July 7th

Dansbandsveckan

If you want to really experience Swedish culture, consider visiting Dansbandsveckan. This festival of the hugely popular Dansband genre attracts nearly 100,000 visitors over seven evenings, with six dance floors and 82 dance bands.

The festival will include dance classes, a musical summer evening, a fairground, axe throwing, a car exhibition and much more.

Evening tickets are priced at 350 kronor and a weekly ticket costs 2,300 kronor.

Where: Malung, Dalarna County

When: July 14th- 20th

Classic Car Week

The long-running Classic Car Week event will take place in Rättvik. The week will include music, events for children, a vintage market, a demolition derby, classic car parade and much more.

Tickets for the event cost 900 kronor if booked before April 30th, or 1,000 kronor after May 1st.

Where: Rättvik, Dalarna County

When: July 26th-August 1st

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