The National Debt Office is shaken after revelations about large losses - adds external investigation

In recent days, the newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and Dagens industri have reported problems at the "central bank" Debt Office.

Among other things, this is a deal where the Director General of the Debt Office closed a currency position when the dollar stood at a record low even though experts at the authority felt it was better to remain. The decision led to losses of hundreds of millions of SEK.

- When the decision was made, the losses were rampant and I could not justify a continuation. I don't think you should take this type of risk with the taxpayers' money, ”says Hans Lindblad, Director General of the Swedish National Debt Office.

The Swedish National Debt Office's chairman now states for SVT that they have had problems with this type of business for a long time.

- A year or so ago, the Board decided to close that type of business at all. We do not think it is in accordance with the Debt Office's mandate to take as risky positions as it entails, says Yvonne Gustafsson, Chairman of the Board of the National Debt Office.

But why not then, if there have been problems for several years?

- It has been bad and has been losing for a number of years and so in hindsight maybe you would do it faster, says Yvonne Gustafsson.

The Ministry of Finance has now called on the Director General of the Debt Office for a meeting to be held in the near future and the Board has decided to appoint an external investigation of the leadership.

- We have had a vote on the board today and we have seen that there is reason to take some of these things very seriously, says Yvonne Gustafsson.

What do you hope the investigation will answer?

- If we get sufficient ground, we can take the necessary steps to make leadership and processes work better, says Yvonne Gustafsson.