The municipality of Skellefteå filed a police report after the newly started association applied for SEK 500,000 in grants. The money would be used for a feasibility study for a meeting place with Sami culture.
Last spring, the association was granted SEK 468,000 from Region Västerbotten. This money is paid out on the condition that Skellefteå municipality says yes. Now the municipality has pulled the handbrake.
The case has been handled by the municipal board in Skellefteå, which rejected the association’s application after the municipality’s minority council made such a recommendation.
Assesses incorrect information in the application
– During the preparation of the case, our officials have discovered suspected irregularities and inaccuracies in the application, says Andreas Löwenhöök, member of the municipal board and convener of the minority council.
The Skellefteå Sami Association has also had the opportunity to express itself.
– We do not know the application or the people involved. No one has heard of this either privately or in the association, says Susanne Pingi Avander, president of the Sami association.
Skellefteå municipality believes that the association, which has now been reported to the police, tried to mislead municipal decision-makers, including by falsely stating that the project is backed by various actors. That kind of support can generally determine whether a municipality says yes to a grant application.
Designated people are misunderstanding
– We trust that such information is correct. In this case, it may not have been so, says Andreas Löwenhöök.
Skellefteå municipality submitted its police report last week. Löwenhöök says that it will now be the police’s job to investigate whether a crime has been committed.
– I don’t understand anything, says one of two people who have been charged.
– I don’t know what to believe. It is very sad. If they felt it was too vague, they would just reject the application, right? Why do you behave like this from a municipality, says the other person.