‘Sweden is Full!’ Head of Swedish Democrats goes to the EU-Turkey border to send a warning to migrants

“If EU’s external borders fall, it will be a new 2015” – Jimmie Åkesson, Sweden Democrats Party Leader

Sweden Democrats party leader, Jimmie Åkesson, travelled to Erdin, Turkey to distribute leaflets to “refugees” storming the Greek border, warning them that “Sweden is full, and and telling them that there will be no more refugees in the country.

As previously reported at RAIR Foundation USA, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan suggested in two different speeches, that his unleashing of migrants at the Greek border is an act of aggression against Europe and his motive behind the invasion is an Islamic Holy War.

Sweden’s Left-wing parties, the media and pro-migrant activists used their platforms to smear Åkesson who heads the only political party in Sweden that is trying to protect its citizens from the problems caused by illegal migrants, like coronavirus and increased crime. 

The media gleefully reported that Åkesson had been detained and interrogated by Turkish authorities, ignoring the fact that Turkey is a “rogue” state.

In the first video clip below exclusively translated by RAIR, Sweden’s liberal public broadcaster SVT1 interviews Åkesson about the incident.

The second video clip is an audio-only interview with Mr. Åkesson did about his trip:

During the last migrant crisis in 2015, the Sweden Democrats ran a similar campaign handing out leaflets that said “No Money, No Jobs, No Homes” in an effort to to deter the economic migrants who came to take advantage of Sweden’s generous social welfare programs. 

It didn’t work, and the problems caused by illegal migrants are getting worse and more extreme.   But, instead of demonizing the Sweden Democrats for acting in the best interests of the Swedish people, the media should investigate and inform the public about the agreement the Social Democrats made in the 90’s with the Muslim Council of Sweden wherein they agreed to give them influence in exchange for votes –  a classic example of the Red/Green axis.

Many thanks to Kronans Martell (Ullis News) for the video translations:

Transcript Video #1:

INTERVIEWER: The party leader of the Sweden Democrats has traveled to the Greek-Turkish border to distribute leaflets to the refugees and migrants, which state that “Sweden is full.”

Jimmie Åkesson is with us from Erdine, on the Turkish side of the border. Tell us: why are you doing this?

First and foremost, it is to build my own perception in regard to what’s happening here. To know who is here and where they’re heading to. What they mention is obvious: it’s Europe, the northern countries … Germany and Sweden. These are their popular destinations. There are certainly some families with children, and some say that they’re Syrians. But many are generally young and adult men from Iran and Morocco, I met some of them yesterday. So this isn’t merely about Syria. But migrants in general.

You travelled with your chief of staff, but were also accompanied by photographers from Svenska Dagbladet [newspaper]. Is this maneuver primarily aimed at Swedish voters? Or the people, according to you, who are escaping the war in Syria?

It’s primarily, for me, about observing what’s happening here on the ground. But if you can inform both the people here and in Sweden, then I think that’s good as well.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it all the way to the border. We’re a few hundred meters away from the border crossing. The place was blocked a few days ago. There are a huge number of police officers here. Therefore, we couldn’t make it to the big crowd.

INTERVIEWER: You’re signing the leaflets by stating, “Sweden Democrats and the Swedish people.” In what way you are spokespersons for the Swedish people?

Regarding this subject, I’d state that we represent the vast majority of Swedish voters, who want a more responsible migration policy and don’t want to repeat another 2015.

As the situation is now, we’re convinced that we should help Greece maintain the EU’s external border. We already need to maintain border control checks in Sweden, before the chaos rises again, to be able to control the situation.

INTERVIEWER: Which plan you deem to be better? What do you say about helping Greece?

Helping Greece partially within the EU’s cooperation framework, but also by providing hands-on assistance from Sweden with staff and funds, to be able to support Greece in maintaining the border; which is crucial.

Otherwise, if EU’s external border falls, it’ll be a new 2015.

INTERVIEWER: The general director of the Swedish Migration Agency doesn’t agree with that understanding at all. He says that there are steps within Europe where countries can maintain their borders, You see a risk that these people will reach Sweden. But he thinks of another scenario!

My assessment is that when they cross the border into Greece, it’s very probable that they can travel throughout Europe.

[inaudible]

We can’t hear you here either. We’ll try to call you back soon, so can we hear each others. Jimmie Åkesson has traveled to Erdine, on the Turkish side of the Greek-Turkish border.

In order to build his own viewpoint of the situation on the ground, and to give out leaflets to the refugees and migrants, with a message that “Sweden is full.”

INTERVIEWER: We’re back to Jimmie Åkesson, can you hear us clearly?

I can. 

INTERVIEWER: Ulf Kristersson [the Moderate Party leader] says this a “symbolic act”, and the deputy chief of the Center Party says, “You’re using vulnerable people in a political game.” How do you respond to these critics?

I think all Swedish politicians should come here to draw their own conclusions. Since I’ve been here, just over a day, I have talked with many people. Including migrants, paramedics and police officers, and many others who are working on this and are here on the ground.

I have reached my own understanding of what this is all about; everybody should do the same. How do you summarize your impression of being present there? Sweden is still a very attractive goal for many people, who are living in worse circumstances than we do in Sweden.

I could understand that and I feel sympathy for them. But Sweden still has serious problems, and not least those related to the previous migration wave in 2015. We should handle the problem we currently have, rather than filling the country up with new asylum seekers.

INTERVIEWER: Jimmie Åkesson, thanks for being on the program.

Transcript Video #2:

I talked to a lot of people today, including migrants, police officers, journalists, not least to obtain an understanding about who the people here are and where they’re heading.

Many say that they’re on their way to northern Europe. They want to go to Germany, Sweden, France, etc. That’s is essentially what I am doing.

We also handed out leaflets that inform about Sweden, and that it is full, and we can’t receive any more people.

INTERVIEWER: What is written in the leaflets? 

Basically it’s written that Sweden is full! And we’re unable to give money or provide housing to more migrants.

So if they want to go to Sweden, they shouldn’t.

INTERVIEWER: Who has received the leaflets? Who did you distribute them to?

To migrants. Predominantly adult men…

A lot of them want to go to Europe, and particularly northern Europe, due to various reasons.

INTERVIEWER: How do the migrants react to the leaflets?

Many do understand the message! But they certainly have their own perspective, as I have mine.

I’m a Swedish politician, and I have the responsibility to make sure Swedish society is free of conflicts as much as possible, and to keep it coherent. And to keep the welfare system in check. This could be insignificant from their perspective; therefore they may not care as much about what I’m saying.

INTERVIEWER: What do you think when you meet them? How do they feel and how do they appear? Do you feel anything? Does it grieve you?

I experience a mixture of feelings. On one side, it’s definitely saddening, and I feel, along with them, their very vulnerable situation. They are often far away from their homes, and are on their way to Europe, and they probably dream about it.

On the other hand, I am worried that there might be a new situation similar to the one we had on 2015 when we lost control. That shouldn’t happen again! Therefore, it’s important to assist Greece in maintaining the external border, to make sure it won’t be 2015 all over again. —Do you think that by doing this it would be taken as a provocation from you and the Sweden Democrats?

There are certainly people who will take it as a provocation! But I consider it to be my responsibility to express the message, which I think is important and real, in all plausible contexts, and to be out in the real world, also to inspect the way the bits and pieces relate to each other.

Not merely through the filters and of the media and social media platforms, which don’t always convey the whole picture. I am grateful for what I can acquire by being present here.