Magdalena Andersson to talk money-laundering at the IMF meeting

Lower global growth is in the cards, but hardly any recession, according to Magdalena Andersson. But it would be even worse than what it is now expected that Sweden is ready, she thinks. The fiscal framework provides flexibility.

– There are large margins in the Swedish economy. That is why it has been so important to pay off the national debt, so that we are strong – and so do we, " she says ahead of his departure to Washington, where the spring summits are held.

" Absolutely." That is why we have made sure to pay off the national debt, which is at the lowest level since 1977. It is how you obtain muscles.

however, there are more and more calls for more fiscal efforts, not only in the eurozone but also in Sweden. Anna Breman, chief economist at Swedbank, would like to have seen more of both infrastructure investment and välfärdssatsningar in the budget, which was in a week.

– It would help in the long term for Sweden to be a little more fiscally expansionary in the near future. It would also reduce the risks of this uncertainty is spilling into Sweden, " says Breman.

The highly topical issue of measures against money laundering and terrorfinansiering is also up there at the weekend, in a meeting with U.S. treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin as a host.

Magdalena Andersson, who will participate in the penningtvättsmötet, believe that the recent tours of suspicious transactions in Swedbank may have affected the image of Sweden is negative in this type of context.

"It is clear that it is not good for the image of Sweden," she says.

that there is not only Swedbank, but that the allegations also have been made against Danske Bank and Nordea have seen between the fingers when the criminals washed their money with the help of the accounts in the bank.

– Then, it is important to also investigate properly what actually has happened in Swedbank. We don't know quite yet. But it is clear that this affects the image of the entire banking sector in all the Nordic countries and the Baltic states, " says Andersson.

She feels for the meeting not to if there has been some singaler from the USA on how they see the Swedbank and the Swedish authorities ' efforts against money laundering.

"I ought to have heard, but the question should probably be addressed to the financial markets Per Bolund (MP), or the Fsa," she says.

She also refers to the Bolund when it comes to the concerns that the US issues jätteböter for Swedbank for the purpose of money laundering and if she thinks it is reasonable that the united states their prosecution of a Swedish bank for suspected crimes in the Baltic states.

for the Swedish financial supervisory authority and its director, Erik Thedéen, however, is intact despite the recent development.

She stresses that the responsibility to combat money laundering in the first place is located on the banks concerned. Next in line is the authorities in the country where the suspicious transactions have taken place – which is responsible for the prosecution and supervision.

– The authority responsible for the transactions that take place in the Baltic countries is the baltic authorities, not Swedish, " she says.

She adds that on top of this also must be cooperation between the financial supervisory authorities in different countries.

– Where we also have the enhanced nordic-baltic cooperation.