The Sweden Democrats want the government to shut down the Institute for Human Rights and wind up grants for work against racism and discrimination. This is evident from internal documents from the Government Office that TV4 Nyheterna has seen. – We do not have huge problems with discrimination and racism in Sweden. This is a problem that is talked about a lot in the media, says Ludvig Aspling, migration policy spokesperson for the Sweden Democrats. The internal documents that TV4 Nyheterna have seen come from the so-called coordination office, which is part of the Government Office. There, the two proposals from the Sweden Democrats are analyzed by officials ahead of the autumn budget bill. In the documents, it appears that SD wants to close the Institute for Human Rights, among other things because the party considers that the institute’s role is redundant “since in Sweden there are already many other bodies that ultimately protect human rights, for example the judiciary, JK, JO and others “, it says, among other things. The Institute for Human Rights is a state authority that was established in January 2022. The institute’s task is to review how human rights are followed in Sweden, and among other things to come up with proposals for measures to the government. “No longer necessary” Ludvig Aspling, migration policy spokesperson for the Sweden Democrats, tells TV4 Nyheterna that the function of the institute has been discussed within the party, and it has been concluded that it is not necessary – partly because of the economic situation. – That a government’s own authority must survey basic human rights. This is a strange order. That’s not how you usually work with these issues, says Ludvig Aspling. In the documents, it also appears that SD wants to discontinue contributions to the work against racism and discrimination. To TV4 Nyheterna, Ludvig Aspling says that there is, among other things, a problem with parts of the money going to ABF, which has close connections to the Social Democrats. – These are worthy causes, but when you look at the grant, how this money is used, you see quite quickly that it is not really going the right way, says Ludvig Aspling. He believes that the issue should be reversed, and instead find reasons to continue with the grants. – We do not have huge problems with discrimination and racism in Sweden. This is a problem that is talked about a lot in the media, says Ludvig Aspling. The ministry rejects the proposals However, according to the officials’ assessment, both proposals should be rejected. The ministry writes, among other things, that closing down the Institute for Human Rights “would weaken Sweden’s ability to act in matters of human rights in foreign policy” Likewise, the ministry considers the savings proposal for the withdrawn contribution “would mean a lowering of ambition in the work for a society free from discrimination despite the need for continued efforts within the area.”
t4-general
REVEALS: SD wants to end contributions to work against racism
