Olov Holst reveals death threat from organized crime in Sigtuna

In 2021, Olov Holst, the outgoing chairman of the municipal council in Sigtuna, received a shocking threat that a contract had been put out for his murder by an organized crime group. This is the first time he has publicly spoken about the death threat.

Following the emergence of the threat, a private security firm was contracted to ensure Holst’s safety. However, when the bill arrived, it became apparent that there was a significant gap in responsibility, leaving uncertainty as to whether the municipality or his political party should cover the costs. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer, who was the party secretary at that time, expressed that the situation was extremely disturbing, recalling it as one of the severest threats he has encountered in his political career.

“It was an extraordinary situation. Initially, the police were responsible for addressing the acute threat. After that, however, there was a lack of clarity regarding who was responsible for ongoing security measures, including the roles of the party and the municipality. This ambiguity must be eliminated; in such situations, it should be explicitly clear who holds responsibility,” Strömmer stated.

According to him, one contributing factor to the ambiguity was unclear legislation. The government has proposed new measures that would grant top politicians in municipalities and regions the same protection against threats and violence as other employees. This proposal will be formally introduced next year and could help prevent the kind of responsibility gap experienced in Holst’s case. Strömmer acknowledged that without proper backing, elected officials might hesitate to take on these vital roles, emphasizing the necessity for legal frameworks to address these emerging issues effectively.