Ironically, the theme of this year’s fair is “freedom of speech” to honor the 250-year anniversary of the Swedish Freedom of the Press Regulation. Nya Tider is the only participant who is no longer welcome, even though several communist and Islamist organizations will be taking part. Around the world authors critical of various regimes are banned, persecuted or even killed for their words. Journalists who write critically about sensitive issues may suddenly have to fear for their lives. This is the reason why the book fair this year picked “freedom of speech” as its theme; every person’s right to express an opinion in public. Sweden is once again at the forefront of democracy. Or so you might think, with the choice of this theme. What the twists and turns before this year’s fair show, however, is that both democracy and freedom of speech are in a sorry state in Sweden, where they are reserved for the leftist characters.
One of the participants that complained about Nya Tider being at the same fair was the magazine Djungeltrumman (Jungle Drum). They said that they had illegal immigrants among their staff and would feel threatened by Nya Tider, who often writes about problems surrounding mass immigration.
The motives and the mentality behind this campaign were clearly demonstrated by, among others, communist MP Rossana Dinamarca’s triumphant tweet, directed at the book fair:
“It pays off to raise one’s voice. Great that you reconsidered.”
The CEO of the Gothenburg Book Fair Maria Källsson at first defended the decision to let Nya Tider participate by referring to the fair’s commitment to freedom of speech, but changed her mind two days later after coming under fire from left-wing columnists. She explained the u-turn as a “a gut feeling”.
The allegation against Nya Tider is that the newspaper is “far right”, a label that Nya Tider vehemently rejects. Nya Tider is politically independent, with no ties to political organizations, and aims to cover issues from which the establishment media shy away. This means that the paper also writes about, for example, the negative consequences of Sweden’s unparalleled asylum immigration and the looming Islamization of Europe. Among other things, we have reported from the Middle East and visited refugee camps in the mountains of Iraq, forgotten by the world, and written about disappointed people who ask us about Sweden’s priorities. Why take funds from humanitarian aid to finance immigration to Sweden? Why not help the people living in the region?
Our newspaper is unique in many ways. We dare write about the negative consequences of mass immigration. We criticize today’s feminist movement, which is today preoccupied by everything but equal rights. We talk to teachers who are fed up with the decay of the schools and handicapped people who have seen their right to assistance being withdrawn. We are a thorn in the flesh of the establishment who runs the country.
Nya Tider’s editor in chief Vávra Suk remarked that freedom of speech was only relevant if it protected the views not shared by those in power, and said:
– The reason behind the ban is that the establishment left-leaning media don’t want any competition. In every issue we point out lies in their coverage, news they alter to serve their ideological agenda. The political correctness and the suffocated debate in mainstream media is the very reason why Sweden has the most viable alternative media in Europe.
