Sweden: Journalists complain about slow-wob

BRUSSELS - 20TH OCTOBER 2008 - Swedish media now complain about slow reaction by Swedish defence authorities to wob-requests. In all cases journalists complain about overly long answering time, according to newssite Resumé.se.

The magazine Värnpliktsnytt (Conscription News), newsagency Sirén and two journalists from the public television SVT, Jens Pehrson och Fredrik Laurin, are complaining about slow responses to wob-requests and the lacking possibility to get comments on stories.

Siren for example asked for three documents in early July and only got access in late September this year. Also the SVT colleagues experienced "strangely slow" dealings with their requests. Some documents were only released after a highly critical tv-documentary was shown.

The website of the defence forces is used to "disseminate partial views" and even "disinformation", Laurin says to Resumé. The newssite was not able to get a comment on the accusations by the Swedish defence.