On the second day, Minister of Justice and Migration Morgan Johansson (S) was seen in the Nova shopping center in Lund.

Several bodyguards were on the shopping trip, according to people who contacted SVT Nyheter.

Before the minister was allowed to enter the shopping center, he queued outside when the maximum number of visitors had been reached.

Bought a Christmas present

In a text message to SVT Nyheter, Morgan Johansson confirms that he was at the mall to buy a Christmas present.

“I visited a mall the other day to buy a late Christmas present for my parents.

It was careless, and I should have planned that purchase better.

However, there was no congestion, and it was possible to keep safe distances thanks to the guards who regulated the number of visitors, "he writes.

The government wanted to stop the sale

The shopping trip is not a crime.

On the other hand, it goes against the Public Health Agency's recommendations to avoid staying in shopping center premises.

In an interview with SVT Nyheter just before Christmas, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven also said that he hoped that there would be no mid-day sale at all.

"Of course we can not have a mid-day sale as we usually do.

Everyone understands and everyone must take their responsibility ", said the Prime Minister then.

But it has not been possible to stop the sales legally before the new pandemic law may enter into force next year.

One reason is that a shopping center does not have a legal right to introduce rules that apply to all stores.

"Feels incredibly inappropriate"

Several department stores have now introduced a maximum ceiling for how many people can be on the premises at the same time.

There are also measures to reduce congestion.

At Nova Lund, there are now guards who will make sure that it does not get crowded in the department store, they have expanded the cleaning and refurnished the restaurant part to increase the distance between diners.

Virus researcher Joakim Esbjörnsson-Klemendz, associate professor of virology at Lund University, reacts with surprise to the information.

- As far as I know, a minister and prime minister are covered by the recommendations from the Swedish Public Health Agency.

Spontaneously, it feels incredibly inappropriate if it is not something that can not be avoided, such as a pharmacy visit or the like, he says.

- In my work, I have tried to set a good example as possible, so a minister who does not relate to the restrictions and recommendations that exist does not feel further appropriate.

Hear what Stefan Löfven (S) said about the midday sale in an interview with SVT Nyheter recently.

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Stefan Löfven on midday sales, the king's critique and the Swedish corona strategy.

Photo: SVT