She gave a little laugh. 'Of course you can. Everybody knows you're the one who decides. Nobody goes against your decisions.'
That was true, he thought to his amusement. Maybe she wasn't so dim after all.
'Karina, I hear what you're saying. Okay? So you want to hang on, but I'm saying no. Are we agreed?'
The woman on the phone didn't say anything for a while.
'Well, if that was all…' The prime minister prepared to hang up.
'You don't get it, do you?' Karina Bjornlund said quietly.
'I'm sorry?' A note of irritation was in his voice.
'Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough. This is not a negotiation. I'm telling you that in these eight months I've gained knowledge you couldn't put a price on. What I'm telling you is that I have a lot to contribute and that I want to go on working for the government.'
The prime minister breathed down the phone; his brain had stopped working. How the hell…? What the hell had the woman found out-
'Listen closely now,' the woman said, 'because I'm only going to tell you this once. I don't want to bring it up again, although the decision doesn't rest with me.'
His mouth was completely dry. 'You're not even a Social Democrat.'
'What the hell does that matter?' she said.
Article in
Date: 7 October
Page: 1 of 2
Written by: Sjolander
Two Surprises
in New Cabinet
Body text:
And so the prime minister has finally presented his new cabinet. The secrecy surrounding the new names has been profound. There were no leaks before the complete cabinet was presented yesterday at Rosenbad.
'The pressure on the ministers is uncompromising,' a source tells
There are two big surprise names among the usual suspects. The new minister for foreign trade after Christer Lundgren, who was recently appointed head of SSAB in Lulea, is Evert Andersson, former chair of the local government social services committee in Katrineholm. He has no experience of politics on a national level but is said to be a close friend of the prime minister's.
The other surprise is even bigger. Karina Bjornlund, the former press secretary of Christer Lundgren, has been appointed new minister for culture.
'Media commercialization has gone too far,' the new minister said in her first statement. 'I will be appointing a committee that will take a look at media concentration in order to maintain variety and confine ownership. The media has far too much power.'
But the question is to what extent Karina Bjornlund and the rest of the government will be able to implement any of their policies.
This year's election results were the worst in modern history for the Social Democrats. They will have to rely on the support of at least two other parliamentary parties to push through any of their policies and (Page 2)
Wire from the Local Press Association (FLT)
Date: 10 November
Section: Current Affairs
STOCKHOLM (FLT) The current affairs radio program transmitted live from Studio 69 in the Radio House in Stockholm has been awarded this year's big media award in the radio category.
'It's a victory for investigative journalism,' the presenter says.
'The award is proof that it's worth going for serious programming and competent journalists.'
The award ceremony will take place on the 20th of November.
Copyright: FLT
Wire from the Swedish Central News Agency (TT)
Date: 24 February
Section: Home
Jail Sentence for Porn King
STOCKHOLM (TT) The 29-year-old man who ran the Stockholm strip club Studio 69 was yesterday sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment. The Stockholm City Court sentenced the man for fraud against creditors, fraudulent accounting, tax fraud, and obstruction of tax audit.
The 22-year-old woman, originating from South America, suspected of having run the business in conjunction with the man is still at large. A detention order has been issued in her absence.
Copyright: Swedish Central News Agency (TT)
Excerpt from
Date: 15 March
Section: Political Affairs
Swedish Weapons Employed
in Bloody Caucasian Civil War
Report:
(Studio Reporter) Heavy fighting resumed last September in the small Caucasian mountain republic. In excess of ten thousand people have been killed in the war between the guerrillas and government forces during the past six months. The Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society now claims that the government forces are using arms from Swedish weapon manufacturers. This accusation is today made in an op-ed piece in the newspaper
The Swedish government are skeptical about the statement.
The prime minister's press officer says, 'These claims are highly dubious. There is an embargo on arms exports to the republic in question, and we cannot see how any Swedish weapons could end up there. The Swedish government have not and will not sanction consignments to the area within the foreseeable future.' (end report)
payoff:
And the reporter was…
News item in
Date: 23 June
Page: 17
Woman Convicted
of Death of Bandy Star
ESKILSTUNA The 25-year-old woman who last year in Halleforsnas killed the bandy player Sven Matsson was yesterday convicted of involuntary manslaughter by the Eskilstuna County Court. The woman was sentenced to a probational sentence.
The prosecution presented the case as manslaughter, but the judges went with the defense counsel. The decision reached by the court was influenced by the man's prolonged abuse of the woman. The act was to some extent seen as self-defense.
'The detailed description of physical and mental abuse as set down by the woman in her diary over the years has no doubt influenced the outcome of the case,' the woman's lawyer stated.
