“Ulf Kristersson must come clean about the security crisis,” Andersson told POLITICO in an interview. “These are extremely serious allegations … Russia is the greatest threat to Sweden.”
The claims, laid out in a Sept. 3 article by non-governmental group Expo, allege that a female Sweden Democrats official promoted pro-Kremlin narratives for a decade, cultivated ties with a Russian state-backed group in Sweden, and brought Russian family members onto the grounds of the Swedish parliament. The official, Polina Malaberg, who remains employed by the Sweden Democrats, previously held roles linked to parliamentary committees focusing on EU affairs.
Reports that Hungary’s former foreign minister had spoken with Moscow during high-level EU gatherings set alarm bells ringing in Brussels about the risk of Russia eavesdropping on European affairs.
Malaberg’s partner, Gustav Gellerbrant, is a senior civil servant and Sweden Democrats member who heads the party’s Coordination Office inside the government, acting as a liaison between the party and Kristersson’s current governing coalition. While Gellerbrant himself is not accused of Russia ties, his relationship with Malaberg raises questions about his security clearance, Andersson argues.
“Is there information relating to national security that may have been exposed?” Andersson asked. “What measures has the prime minister taken and what measures does he intend to take?”
Both Kristersson and Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, have publicly addressed Expo’s claims. Kristersson said Malaberg should be fired if the allegations turn out to be true. “We are in a European war … You can’t have people who sit around promoting pro-Russian narratives and work in the Swedish parliament,” he told newspaper Aftonbladet.