At a time of austerity for the Swedish security service (SAPO), where about one in ten staff will lose their jobs or take early retirement packages as a result of the “tough economic times”, the agency is under fire for a James Bond theme party in 2011, that cost 5.3 million Swedish Kronor ($802,500) was never put out to tender.
The Swedish Events industry players are in defense mode lately as government and various foundations that receive government funding are having to justify their conference, and events budgets and practices. In the latest scandal, the Swedish security agency came under criticism for spending lavishly on a themed James Bond party. The function cost about 5.3 million kronor($802,500) at a time when the department was making significant staff cutbacks.
The party was organized by former Säpo head Anders Danielsson, who is now the Director General of the Swedish Migration Board (Migrationsverket), he later stated, “I take responsibility for everything”. The new head of SAPO Anders Thornberg, explained that the James Bond themed party was a special event for staff members to recharge” after a difficult year of terror threats, suicide bombing and reorganization.
The staff reorganization will entail some of the workforce taking early pensions, but a further 100 will terminate without replacement. Apparently the government has also flagged a reduced 2013 budget.
While SAPO said the party was the culmination of educational and inspirational activities mean to provide “knowledge, inspiration and solidarity”, the Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said that agency chiefs “are well paid, they should know better.”
The event included casino tables, dinner, trays of martinis and from England, the head of MI5 Jonathan Evans as a guest of honour.
The series of un-thoughtfully planned events across Sweden in the face of difficult economic times has had a similar to the call for tighter controls following lavish events that did not follow procedure as in the USA. There have been comments criticizing the the events industry at a time when business confidence and slower turnovers are affecting event planners.
