The new chief of staff for Swedish Environment and Energy Minister Isabella Lövins was previously the head of Greenpeace in Sweden and was behind break-ins at several nuclear power plants in 2012.
The new chief of staff, Annika Jacobsson, headed the Swedish branch of Greenpeace between 2012 and 2014. On October 9th 2012, 70 environmental activists belonging to Greenpeace broke into the Forsmark and Ringhals nuclear power plants to “carry out our own stress test to see if one can get into the reactors,” Jacobsson said at the time, SVT reports.
In 2014, the group carried out another break-in at the Oskarshamn’s nuclear power plant, with over 40 activists being sentenced following the incident for unlawful entry. While Jacobsson was reportedly behind the two incidents, she did not participate herself.
In her new role as chief of staff, she works under the Swedish Minister who is now responsible for not only environmental issues but also for radiation and nuclear safety issues as well.
Jacobsson defended her past actions, saying: “My role in that work was to run a public debate on Swedish nuclear safety. My role today is to assist environmental and climate minister Isabella Lövin in her work to implement the government’s policy.”
Lövin, of the Green Party, also defended Jacobsson, saying: “Annika Jacobsson’s previous role as head of Greenpeace is consistent with her current role as staff and planning manager in my staff.”
Populist Sweden Democrat politician Mattias Bäckström Johansson slammed the appointment of Jacobsson, saying that her judgement should be called into question after her history of activism.
The appointment comes after the Social Democrats, who refused to comment on the appointment, formed a new coalition with the Greens after months of deadlock.
Since the formation of the new coalition, the government has also opened up chain migration by expanding the migrant family reunification programme, which will see millions in added costs to Swedish taxpayers, according to a report from the Migration Board.
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