– We must not have gang criminals inside our recreational facilities, and we must ensure that there are no criminal or Islamist elements in these environments.
That’s what Minister of Education Mats Persson (L) says today to TV4 Nyheterna, in connection with the government’s assignment of the National Board of Education to review how the student associations that receive state subsidies carry out their democratic mission. This after the high-profile tours around ABF’s leisure centers in Botkyrka, which were closed a year ago after information emerged that there were narcotics and criminals in protective vests in connection with the activity.
Mats Persson (L) has directed harsh criticism at ABF and today he met the management of ABF in a meeting which he described as serious, with a serious tone.
Important part of democracy
The Folkbildningsrådet is now tasked with reviewing all study associations and reporting back to the government on this in October.
– Student associations are an important part of democracy, says Mats Persson, and it is important that those who behave and run a good business should be safe in knowing that those who do not behave, who have criminal elements, they must be removed.
The Folkbildningsrådet distributes approximately SEK 4 billion each year to study associations and folk high schools.
After the meeting with the minister, ABF’s management did not want to comment on what was said. ABF, for its part, has been criticized for being perceived as being used as a bat in the debate.
See an interview with Mats Persson in the clip above.