Swedish FM Quits over Cartoon Row

[HeiGou]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4828052.stm

Sweden FM quits over cartoon row
Former Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds
Laila Freivalds resigned six months before an election
Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds has resigned in a row related to cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

She has been strongly criticised in the press after the foreign ministry ordered the website of a far-right party to be shut down.

The site had been due to publish the cartoons, which sparked a furore after their initial publication in Denmark.

She was also criticised over the Swedish response to the Asian tsunami, in which about 500 Swedes died.

Ms Freivalds resigned just six months before an election in Sweden, in which the ruling Social Democrats face a resurgent opposition.

"It was her own decision," Prime Minister Goran Persson said after his foreign minister's announcement.

He has said Deputy Prime Minister Bosse Ringholm will take over as foreign minister temporarily.

Ms Freivalds was rounded on by the press when a far-right website was forced to close on 9 February, after a foreign ministry official contacted the site's hosting company.

Critics said this was an intrusion on the freedom of speech.

The minister said she did not order the official to contact the company, but a later report from the ministry said she was involved in the decision.

[Muezzin]

She was also criticised over the Swedish response to the Asian tsunami, in which about 500 Swedes died.

What was the Swedish response to the tsunami?

Ms Freivalds was rounded on by the press when a far-right website was forced to close on 9 February, after a foreign ministry official contacted the site's hosting company.

Critics said this was an intrusion on the freedom of speech.

Perhaps they would have preferred the ensuing riots?

[HeiGou]

What was the Swedish response to the tsunami?

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...pe/4489766.stm

Tsunami probe scolds Swedish PM
An independent commission in Sweden has blamed Prime Minister Goran Persson for the government's inadequate response to the last year's Asian tsunami.

The commission said the cabinet had "lacked functional crisis leadership".

The disaster killed more than 500 Swedes - the highest casualty toll among European nations.

The commission criticised the delays which it said caused trauma for the affected families. Mr Persson "has overall responsibility", it said.

The commission recommended that a crisis response centre be set up with full power to act in such situations.

The tsunami on 26 December killed more than 220,000 people in several Asian countries.

"In the commission's opinion, Prime Minister Goran Persson has the all-embracing responsibility for the government offices' shortcomings in their handling of the consequences of the tsunami," the report said.

Responding to fierce criticism in parliament, Mr Persson said "I can only regret the mistakes that were made."

"On behalf of the entire government, I apologise," he said.

The report said Mr Persson was told about the tsunami early on 26 December but was not updated regularly by aides.

It criticised ministers and medical officials for failing to respond quickly as the true scale of the disaster emerged. Many officials did not interrupt their Christmas holidays to deal with the crisis, it noted.

The report was commissioned after the government's response to the tsunami was heavily criticised by ordinary Swedes and the media.

Published: 2005/12/01 17:56:11 GMT

Perhaps they would have preferred the ensuing riots?

I would have. At least then we would all know where we stand. If there is a problem, and it does look like there is, then it needs to be out in the open and discussed.

[Muezzin]

Thanks for the tsunami information.

I would have. At least then we would all know where we stand. If there is a problem, and it does look like there is, then it needs to be out in the open and discussed.

I agree to a point. I agree dialogues need to be initiated.

In this particular case, it seemed obvious to me that the site just wanted to stir the pot as it were. I don't think a 'far-right' website had such interests as 'peaceful co-existence' in mind - I think it was pretty obviously an attempt at provocation. That doesn't excuse any behaviour from rioters of course.

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[Anette]

Laila Freivalds have been under a great pressure since the report regarding the Tsunami was getting official. The report made it clear that many Swedish politics choose to spend their holiday with their family instead of taking on responsibility regarding how to act according to the needs.

Strong voices regarding her to resign have been heard ever since then. Even some other party that usually supports the government have been asking for her to resign.

The issue with the website was more regarding her to lie about on who’s order it was shut down then that it actually was shut down. The order should not have been hers but from our Security Police instead.

The pressure has been hard on her since the Tsunami and lying have not helped her a bit.