The high-tech research facility ESS, which has just been built outside Lund, continues to be beset by problems.
So far, Swedish taxpayers have paid 8.5 billion, about five billion more than what it sounded like at the start of the project in 2007.
At the same time, the organization’s internal advice to the participating 13 countries warns that the project may fail completely.
“Shoots to one and a half billion”
In several letters sent to the Ministry of Education this autumn, there is now a serious concern. That the budget will not be kept and that the technical equipment contributed by several countries is not of sufficient quality, which means that ESS’s internal council warns that the project could then fail completely – but the responsible minister dismisses the criticism.
– Now we are pushing to one and a half billion because we think this is such an important investment for our country, says Minister of Education Mats Persson (L).
The director general about the project and the problems, in the player above.