Amanda Lind (MP) on the Minister of Culture's proposal: The problem is that the government does not invest in culture

"When I opened my top dresser drawer, so to speak, at the ministry, various things popped up that had been lying around that are about daring to make decisions, daring to clean up and daring to make sure that things don't get bogged down in bureaucracy," she says in the program.

During the interview, she pointed out that the 70 authorities under the Ministry of Culture should be fewer. On Tuesday, however, Parisa Liljestrand announced to the news agency TT that she exaggerated the number of authorities, the correct number is 26.

According to herself, it was about an "easier way" to express herself, what she really meant was authorities as well as "companies, foundations and other institutions that fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Culture".

"It's our duty to make sure they work in the best way and see if there are things you can do there to enable more money to get out to the culture.

'Government ducks'

Amanda Lind (MP) was Minister of Culture between 2019-2021 and is today chair of the Culture Committee. She has doubts about the government's priorities on the issue and sees a risk that some excellence will be lost if authorities are merged or disappear.

" Sweden's cultural life is complex with a variety of content areas and the activities need to be organized in different ways, so this process needs to be done with great wisdom, she tells Kultur nyheterna.

At the same time, she sees it as reasonable for the government to review the effectiveness of the authorities and admit that the red-green parties performed similar work when Lind was in the post of culture minister. However, she points out that the problem of tax money not getting through is not about the amount of authorities or bureaucracy.

" When it comes to money for culture, the big problem is not that it is stuck in authorities, but the big problem is that we need a government now that invests in culture, after pandemic and inflation. And there the government completely ducks.

The Culture News has sought Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand (M) for a comment.