Since 2007, it is forbidden for private individuals to fish for eels without a permit.

Despite that, PM Nilsson was caught in the Karlskrona archipelago with four eel lures – a cage-like fishing gear used in eel fishing – by two inspectors from the Maritime and Water Authority in September 2021.

Nilsson, who has been Ulf Kristersson's state secretary since November 2022, denied that the Russians were his, partly at the time of the inspection, partly just before Christmas in a conversation with the police.

Shekarabi (S): "Actively misleading the police"

During the Christmas holiday, however, Nilsson admitted the crime, and has now received a penalty in the form of daily fines totaling SEK 38,000.

The Social Democrats believe that PM Nilsson's trust has been used up.

- It is not appropriate to have a state secretary who so late in December actively misled the police.

We have concluded that it is not appropriate for him to remain as state secretary, says Ardalan Shekarabi (S), legal policy spokesperson, and points out that Nilsson's confession is not seen as a mitigating circumstance.

- According to his own information, he must have lied about this on two separate occasions, says Ardalan Shekarabi.

Understand the rules

PM Nilsson, in his previous role as editorial writer for the newspaper Dagens Industri, conducted opinion polls for eel fishing.

In an article from 2020, it appears that Nilsson, despite the poaching in September 2021, is aware of the rules around eel fishing.

On Wednesday, Nilsson made a longer post on Facebook where he explains that at first he did not understand who the men were, and that he thought they were trying to claim the Russians.

Only after a few minutes did it become clear that the men came from the Maritime and Water Authority, he states.

"I should have said then that it was my tools, but the situation was so embarrassing and surprising that I continued to deny," writes Nilsson.

"Maintained my denial"

When the police then got in touch a year and a half after the incident, PM Nilsson was surprised.

“I thought the matter was out of this world and was surprised, did not have time to think clearly and maintained my denial.

I shouldn't have done that," writes Nilsson.

SVT is looking for PM Nilsson and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) for a comment.