Anna Kinberg Batra is fired as governor of Stockholm after revelations about the recruitment of friends – but is still allowed to continue in the government office with a retained salary.
– It is called the elephant cemetery, where directors general and very high-ranking heads of authorities end up when they have misbehaved, says TV4 Nyhetern’s political commentator, Per Hermanrud in Friday’s Efter fem.
– I plan nothing but to continue, Ann Kinberg Batra answered on Wednesday when asked if she intends to continue as governor of Stockholm.
But the government had other plans for the governor. The day after the statement, the government announced that Kinberg Batra would be fired. This after JO directed sharp criticism at the governor for three controversial friend recruitments.
A decision that Kinberg himself “respects”.
“Confidence in the authority cannot be restored unless the county administrative board gets a new manager,” says Minister of Civil Affairs Erik Slottner.
“I have said it many times: Trust is one of the finest things we have in Swedish society. Trust must not be undermined.” writes Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in a statement to Aftonbladet.
But even though the government’s confidence in Kinberg Batra is wavering, she is still safely in the government boat. Her employment contract runs until February 2029. She thus gets a new assignment at the government office with a maintained salary of SEK 114,000 a month. It gives her just over six million kroner during the entire period of employment.
– This is what the agreements look like for heads of authorities, and then it must be filled with new information, says Minister of Civil Affairs Erik Slottner to TV4 Nyheterna.
– For a long time, there have been principles for how long ordinances apply and it is regulated in that agreement, he continues.
But exactly what she will do, the government has not yet decided.
– We will see exactly what information is given there, says Erik Slottner.
End up in the elephant graveyard
TV4 Nyheterna’s political commentator, Per Hermanrud, describes Kinberg Batra’s new workplace as an elephant graveyard.
– It is called the elephant graveyard, where directors-general and very high-ranking heads of authorities end up when they have misbehaved, he says in After Five on Friday.
– They are contract employees, which means that they are not allowed to leave their job, but are allowed to continue working and change jobs.
He adds that this was the easiest way for the government to end the whole thing.
– There will be a new investigation in a while from the National Audit Office, and then she will be beaten more and there will be new attention. The easiest thing for Kristersson is to end it here and now.
On Friday 18:29
