22.6.2006
Dagens Nyheter: "Bodström becoming a risk for Social Democrats"
The growing popularity of the Pirates is not the only thing that worries established political parties in Sweden with 86 days to the election.
Dagens Nyheter reports how Social Democrats - by far the largest party in Sweden - are worried about their Justice Minister Thomas Bodström, once a popular political figure, becoming a risk to party's success in the September election. "The debate on filesharing has raised onto a new level with the revelation of US threatening Sweden with trade sanctions. It will hardly be a vote winner in the election to be perceived as a lap-dog to George Bush and Hollywood's entertainment industry."
Pirate Party: "Chasing of filesharers corrupts the justice system"
In its recent
press release the Pirate Party blasts hard criticism on the Swedish officials in the light of Swedish Television's revelations. One of the hottest pieces of evidence published in the
Rapport program was a message from state prosecutor Håkan Roswall where he states how "it causes particular irritation among copyright holders how the persons behind website Pirate Bay openly propagate free filesharing and how they have set up a political organization Piratbyrån to spread the idea that we should get rid of copyright laws." Piratbyrån's own server was also taken down in the May 31 raid and is still being held by the Swedish police.
Pirate Party leader Rick Falkvinge comments: "The Swedish government has made an active effort to disturb political opinion forming in Sweden following a request from a foreign power. This is a scandal of major proportions. It means that not only Thomas Bodström has lied about the American pressure, but also the police and the prosecutor have lied about it. Corruption goes both wide and deep. Therefore I don't believe that the inquiries by Justice Ombudsman and Constitutional Committee will be enough. More than ever we need a parliamentary party that can drive through laws that are in line with the sense of justice of the Swedish citizens."
Swedish TV's revelations on YouTube
Swedish TV's politically explosive Rapport program revealing US pressure behind the Pirate Bay raid is now available with English subs on YouTube:
SVT1 Rapport video