The Swedish State Drives Security Guard Out of Work – Based on her Political Views
Josefine, 28, has worked as a security guard for over six years and has always performed her work duties exemplary. The county administrative board (Länsstyrelsen) does annual eligibility tests of all its hired security personnel, in cooperation with the secret police, to see if they are law abiding citizens that show civil reliability and to see if they could be a liability in any way. This year was the first time Josefine failed the test, which she was told of today.
The reason why Josefine failed her eligibility test has been classified and Securitas, her employer, says that they don’t know what the decision is based on. Josefine’s supervisor at Securitas was surprised at hearing the board’s decision to deem her ineligible, as he has had no complaints against her during her employment.
Seeing as Josefine has no criminal record and she hasn’t had any problems with performing her work duties, there can be only one explanation as to why she was let go from her position: The Swedish government wants to prohibit people from working based on their political beliefs. Josefine has been involved with the Nordic Resistance Movement for as many years as she has been working as a security guard, but this year she has been more visible within the movement as she acted as photographer for the website Nordfront at a major political rally in Borlänge. But her political engagement has not affected her ability to perform her work duties, she says:
— I keep my private life separate from my professional life.
Josefine has plans to lodge an appeal against council’s investigation.
— The employer has already broken the law regarding the rights of the employee. And as far as I can see the government are breaking constitutional law as well, says Shahrokh Razavi, union representative of the Independent Free Union-organization.
— It’s a disgrace that a diligent and well-behaved person like Josefine isn’t allowed to keep her job just because she is a party member of the Nordic Resistance Movement. That the county council, probably in cooperation with the secret police, act in this manner is scandalous. To discharge a person and then classify the reasons why, that is something they would do in a banana republic. Members of our party, who works non-profit to ensure that our society remains a safe one, should be the ideal recruiting base for these security firms, says Pär Öberg, chairman of the Nordic Resistance Movement’s parliamentary branch.
