A municipal official in Flen, Sweden, exerted pressure to have a wind power-critical advertisement removed from a billboard along Road 55 this summer. The Justice Ombudsman, JO, has criticized the municipality for this action. The municipality's communications chief emailed the company behind the billboard, leading to the removal of the advertisement.
The municipality claimed the goal was not to remove the ad, but JO disagreed, stating in its decision that it is difficult to understand the email in any other way than the municipality questioning the publication of the ad. JO described the email as 'pressure' and deemed the contact inappropriate.
it is difficult to understand the email in any other way than the municipality questioning the publication of the ad
the goal was not to remove the ad