Report Reveals 64 Billion SEK in Politician-Linked Public Contracts Amidst Pension Fraud Case

A recent in-depth report by Acta Publica exposes that companies linked to Swedish politicians have secured public sector contracts totaling at least 64 billion SEK. The analysis highlights financial interests of 12,925 sitting politicians in over 32,000 companies, with 2,638 of these companies directly transacting with public entities. From 2022 to 2024, contracts worth approximately 3.7 billion SEK were awarded to 1,080 companies connected to local politicians within their own municipalities.

Notable cases include a Moderate politician in Stockholm who, while chairing a staffing company, generated nearly 19 million SEK in contracts with the city and a Social Democratic politician in Västra Götaland whose construction firm invoiced 4.4 million SEK from local government. The report also flags concerns, as more than 350 companies have representatives convicted of economic crimes, underscoring potential conflicts of interest, although Acta Publica stresses this does not prove corruption.

Parallel to this, a separate matter has come to light involving pension misconduct. Dragan Brankovic, a former Sweden Democrats member and Lund local government official, received pension payments for his deceased father for almost seven years. Brankovic’s father passed away in Serbia in 2017, but the death was not registered in Sweden, allowing pension funds to be incorrectly disbursed. Brankovic left his political roles two years ago after the issue surfaced. He maintains he was transparent about his father's death and denies any intent to deceive authorities.

These revelations cast a spotlight on political accountability in Sweden, particularly regarding public contracts and pension disbursements. Acta Publica raises questions about how supplier terms are set in publicly funded megaprojects amid potential political conflicts. Meanwhile, the pension case underscores weaknesses in verifying foreign deaths to prevent fraud. Both highlight the need for enhanced oversight in public sector dealings and social welfare systems to maintain public trust.