Olov Holst reveals assassination plot behind resignation as Sigtuna’s municipal council chairman

In 2021, Olov Holst, the outgoing chairman of Sigtuna’s municipal council, received alarming information that a contract had been issued in the criminal underworld for his assassination. It later emerged that a criminal network had planned a bomb attack targeting a local politician and a police chief. In a police operation, officers discovered two car bombs intended for the targets.

Holst has now revealed that he was indeed the intended target. “It’s difficult to accept that news. When you find car bombs, it becomes more concrete: so this is how they planned to do it,” he stated, expressing the distressing nature of such threats.

In response to the danger, police established a security perimeter around Holst’s home, employing round-the-clock surveillance with cameras and armed officers. Initially, a private company managed his security. However, when it came time to settle the bill, Holst identified a gap in responsibilities, as neither the municipality nor his party, the Moderates, stepped forward to support him. “One cannot have that ambiguity in a situation like mine,” he noted.

Holst announced he would resign on February 1st next year, stating, “If I’m going to leave, it has to be in good time for a successor to establish a platform before the next election.” He clarified that while the threats were not the sole reason for his departure, they contributed to an already heavy burden faced by municipal leaders.

Simultaneously, the government is preparing a proposal to ensure municipalities and regions take comparable responsibility for elected officials as they do for their employees under workplace safety regulations, with changes expected to take effect on July 1, 2025.