The Swedish Tax Agency initially opposed the aid to the airline BRA. After pressure from the Wallenberg sphere, the situation changed - and hundreds of millions in tax revenue were written off.
When the airline Braathens Regional Airlines (BRA) applied for restructuring, the Swedish Tax Agency's position was clear. The authority assessed that the business lacked long-term profitability and warned that the cost would fall on the state.
In its opinion, the Authority wrote that ”The Swedish Tax Agency considers it clear that there is no fundamentally profitable business.”
Despite this assessment, the decision was not appealed when the reconstruction was approved, which means that around SEK 285 million in tax revenue is missing.
Influence from the power family
According to several insider sources, the situation changed after the powerful Wallenberg family, with long-standing links to both big business and politics, approached the government, according to sources at Aftonbladet.
Shortly afterwards, a state secretary is said to have called the Swedish Tax Agency's management. What was conveyed internally is described as clear: ”The message was not to put obstacles in the way of BRA Airlines.”
Jacob Wallenberg, the current head of the dynasty, himself confirms contact with the government: ”It is true that I have provided information to government representatives about the reconstruction of Braathens.”
According to him, it was about the consequences for domestic aviation if the reconstruction was stopped or delayed.
The authority changed its line
Following the contacts, the Swedish Tax Agency decided not to proceed with an appeal, despite its own experts having previously argued to the contrary.
Internally, the decision is described as a departure from the previous policy. At the same time, there is no clear documentation of the decision, which has raised questions about the process and the role of external contacts.
Recurring billion-dollar bill
BRA has been restructured several times before. The two previous processes involved write-downs totaling SEK 488 million. With the latest settlement, the total cost amounts to around SEK 773 million.
The sequence of events shows how contacts between the top echelons of the business community and the government can have a direct impact on government decisions - and thus on how large amounts of public money are spent.
The state and big business have always worked together to suck as much money as possible from ordinary people.
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