In recent years, there has been a steady stream of reports that show that Swedish companies and banks have been found guilty of massive corruption and money-laundering. It is worrying, not least because of corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion, to form a järntriangel that it is difficult to get to.
a number of our agencies have a lot of really been confused. As regards the network operators, Telia and Ericsson, and it is only thanks to the us government, who in their corrupt business to be able to be prosecuted. And despite the fact that the state is the majority owner of the we have, also, the government has been passive. The Swedish financial supervisory authority prudential supervision of banks control of money laundering has attracted criticism from many quarters, including from the fin-fsa’s own auditors.
So, what can you do? A lot of work.
1 of the Protection of whistle-blowers should be strengthened, so that they dare to report irregularities.
it was a visselblåsarlag in 2016, but it has never been because of his weaknesses: a lack of protection for the visselblåsares identity, and there are no requirements on the channel, for the reporting of abuses, a small group of people, who get protection, and the lack of requirements for reporting.
However, the outlook has brightened. The EUROPEAN union has established a directive that would address these weaknesses. On the basis of the directive and preparing an investigation into an act, which involves far-reaching changes for government departments, local councils, business and industry, education, health care, media and non-governmental organisations.
Provided that they have at least 50 employees shall set up internal reporting channels for whistle-blowers, who should also have access to external channels for the reporting. And most centrally: visselblåsarna is to be protected from retaliation. They will be protected, even if they have had a malicious motive in order to generate an alarm, for example, to avenge the death of their manager, a lack of promotion.
The closer to the 1.2 million people employed in the Swedish association of local authorities and regions have the right to visselblåsarskydd, however, with the exception of those employed in the quarter of the Swedish association of local authorities, which have fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. The residents, however, would not be able to get the opportunity to ‘blow the whistle’ by a single, central and regional channels.
The new law will enter into force in 2021, however, the changes that are on the door is so far-reaching that all the relevant organizations should start to adapt to the new situation, mentally, and organizationally. It will take some time to get used to the tystnadskulturens period of time has passed.
2, We should have to revise our understanding of corruption.
the focus is on The often of a public official receives a benefit, such as, for example, a meal, or travel, in order to grant a building permit or a citizenship. The most common brottsmisstanke as the police, the national anti-korruptionsgrupp is investigating the people in the care of the elderly who receive the benefits of the end-users. The focus should be more focused on the giver of the bribe, bestickaren, and we should be looking across the border, where large-scale corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion is going on in a person’s interaction.
3 the scope for the Authorities to prosecute the crime needs to be improved.
a criminal investigation has been laid down also in the case where a single intervention has been good. This was the case, for example, with the criminal investigation of Saab’s involvement in kickbacks were paid in connection with the sale of the Jas Gripen aircraft, although Saab’s british partner, BAES bribed the decision-makers in the recipient countries. Saab had handed over the money for this, but none of the individuals could be bound for the payments, and the company, as such, could not be prosecuted under the laws of sweden.
This should be changed so that companies must have a criminal liability. In addition, should the prosecutor be given an opportunity to negotiate with businesses about the sanctions, on the basis of suspicion of bribery, money laundering and other serious financial crimes.
the Businesses would then be encouraged to provide materials and to cooperate in any other way. In return, some of the people to be able to avoid prosecution, the company would be able to continue its operations and to participate in public procurement procedures. They should, however, be required to pay powerful fines, penalties, introducing more stringent control, and the dismissal of some key personnel.
such A regime would have a deterrent effect that goes far beyond the one that comes with the risk that individuals would be able to be brought to justice. An advantage is also that the costs of the legal proceedings can be reduced, the treasury may receive contributions and that both companies and individuals can avoid the need for a long and oppressive wait on a process with an uncertain outcome. Of concern would be agreements to be approved by a court of law, which is made of, for example, Poland, the united kingdom, and the united states.
It would be best that such a system came into being at the EU-level. The fines would then be snapped up by european taxpayers and not, as now, the funding of american education, the health and social care.
4 of the Law on public procurement, which is based on an EU directive, it stipulates that companies that have committed serious crimes, such as corruption and money-laundering, under certain circumstances, be excluded from participation in the procurement process. The exclusion may also concern a company that is guilty of ”serious professional misconduct”.
the EUROPEAN court of justice has ruled that this provision covers all of the erroneous actions that will impact on the provider’s trustworthiness in a professional context. This is something to consider for companies that want to take part in procurement procedures in Europe, such as Ericsson. The us government has stated that the company is over 17 years dedicated himself to large-scale corruption in Indonesia and China, the company has paid approximately, 700 million in the form of bribes, which has given billions in profits. The amounts of the fines to which the company is required to pay (sek 10.1 billion) could have been reduced if the company cooperated with the authorities fully.
one last thing: Civilminister Lena and Micko (S), who pointed out the other day that a national action plan directed to corruption, we take action.” It is to be welcomed, but large-scale corruption in the rest of the world doesn’t seem to be involved in the work, and is not, nor corruption’s interaction with money-laundering and tax evasion. The minister merely stated that ”it is our duty to provide the conditions necessary to maintain a high level of quality.
It is the entrenched perception of corruption appears to exist. This does not bode well.
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