How many times have I not seen headlines in large international newspapers and big powerful people talk about Malmoe? Some people claim that it's a hell hole where you can't walk across the street without getting stabbed, shot or fall prey to some other creative way of being attacked. Yet some people claim it's nothing but falsifications, fake news and procured stories to make the "Sverigebilden" (the picture people not from Sweden have of Sweden) look bad. So, what is it, then?
As it so often is with these kinds of diametrically different views of something, it's a bit of both and a lot of in-between.
In some areas of Malmoe you may actually set up camp on the streets and still live to see another day, but in some other areas it's the complete opposite. There've been problems in Malmoe for quite some time but it's the last few years they've grown to become something much larger. Whole neighbourhoods have turned their back on the swedish state and a lot of their inhabitants actually are able to live in something of a shadow-state without ever coming into contact with the actual Swedish state.
The problems Malmoe has is not only related to immigration, though a large part of the problem has to do with just that, but also with the way it's been governed. You don't often hear too much about corruption in Sweden, especially not among the ones in the top tier of politics and Sweden always ranks very high on the lists showing countries with the least corruption. The corruption isn't what you seen in bad mafia movies but a more subtle form, though. It's more of a sophisticated form of corruption where the leading politicians and some company executives co-operate and work together to earn more money and benefits to themselves and their kin.
While Malmoe is hard pressed on cash and receives several billions yearly from the rest of Sweden to make ends meet the politicians of Malmoe takes this cash and spends it on things like new stadiums, buying apartments for refugees, traveling the world, arranging festivals, and when they finally realise they've run out of cash they announce tax raises for the inhabitants of Malmoe to be able to pay for all of their side-activities.
During the last week we've been able to read headlines from Malmoe like "Car blown up at Bellevuevägen", which is considered a VERY safe part of Malmoe, normally. Another headline from Malmoes largest newspaper touches upon the bent flag pole in Stockholm and is feeling a bit uneasy about what could happen when the "Sverigevännerna" (friends of Sweden) gets into power. Just think about it. One of Sweden's largest newspaper is wondering what would happen when the ones who care about Sweden and its values gets into power. What does that make him? Is that their official viewpoint?
Anyway, a news-summary will be posted here shortly.