Scania
A Region in Europe
An illustrated situation report
This summary of the problems and difficulties the Scanian Region are experiencing in Sweden was prepared by SSF. The report formed a basis for discussions between Scanian cultural organisations and the Advisory Committees of the Council of Europe during meetings in Stockholm in the year 2002. The report was prepared with the Scanian Region as an example, but it is in general terms applicable for most of the regions in the country.
The meetings with Advisory Committee of the European Charter of Regional or National Languages took place in April 2002 and the committee of the European Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in November 2002.
Illustrations by © G. Hansson
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A Region in
Europe
1.
The concept of a regionally organised Europe – The
Europe of Regions – is seldom or never debated in Sweden. In fact,
the subject is being suppressed - blacked out - by the Swedish Government
and the dominating central mass media.
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Regions of Sweden Large Larger
2.
Sweden
is historically and logically very well suited for a political and
administrative regional reorganisation and decentralisation.
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Nutshell History Large Larger
3.
The Scanian history is very rich
and colourful with Scanian, Danish and Nordic roots. The Scanian
background is kept back and concealed in the education system, Scanian
schools and mass media. |
Four Provinces Large Larger
4.
The historic Scania has been fragmented into
parts and the four provinces have been prevented to restore and recreate
1000 years of community and common history.
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The Name Large Larger
5.
Scania is the original name of the region. It is
seldom being used today – particularly not in official documents. The
reason is obvious: the Swedish Government fears the re-establishment of
former community links. |
The Law Large Larger
6.
The Scanian Book of Laws was in force in Scania
since 11th Century and is the oldest provincial law in
Scandinavia. It was replaced by the Swedish legal system in the early part
of the 18th Century.
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The Name Bluff Large Larger
7.
Scania has been subjected
to a name change to the historically false term “Södra Götaland”.
The Swedish Government made the name change unilaterally in the late 17th
Century.
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Dead or Alive? Large Larger
8.
The Scanian Language originates from one of three
distinct Danish languages on Nordic foundation. The media and education
system are obscuring the common linguistic relationship and the Scanian
language is being opposed by all sectors of the society. |
Cultural Properties Large Larger 9. Scanian and Danish cultural properties have during time been removed from their original places in the region and moved to palaces and museums in the central region surrounding Stockholm.
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More Properties Large Larger 10. Large amounts of additional cultural properties are presently being subjected to removal from Scania to Stockholm due to lack of funds for museums and other cultural institutions in the region.
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Land of No History? Large Larger 11. Demands for Scanian history instruction in Scanian schools have been made for 130 years. We are as far from having these demands met by the Government and the centralised education system as we were 130 years ago.
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12. Despite pressure from European
institutions such as the EU and the Council of Europe, the Swedish
Government is not demonstrating a more tolerant multi-cultural attitude.
The state myth of cultural uniformity is still being politically pursued
in Sweden. |
Country bumpkins? Large Larger 13. According to a statewide survey, a large portion of the Swedish population show considerable prejudice towards the Scanians.
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Who's cat are you? Large Larger
14.
According to the same statewide survey, a large portion of the Swedish
population still consider the Scanians “different” from the rest of
the population.
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Not understood? Large Larger
15.
The Scanians have generally been kept out of participation in radio and
television. In the cases where Scanians have been engaged, language
changeover and adaptation to “proper” Swedish has
in most cases
been a prerequisite. |
Playing with borders Large Larger
16.
As
a result of Sweden joining the EU, we now have three “regions” in
Scania – one historical, one for EU purposes and one political. The EU
region (NUTS) also includes the province of Blekinge. This policy of
division ensures continued state control of, for instance, financial
support from the EU structural funds. |
From where? Large Larger
17.
There is no regional representation in the EU institutions. In
the Committee of Regions, for example, central institutions situated in
Stockholm select and appoints the members.
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Could have been Large Larger
18.
The
creation of an organic regional pattern in Sweden was never discussed or
even suggested in connection with the adaptation of the EU structures for
regional policies (the NUTS classification system) when Sweden joined the
EU in 1995.
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State Culture Large Larger 19. Contrary to the intentions of the Council of Europe’s draft European Charter of Regional Self-Government, the state financial support for culture to the region is earmarked to almost one hundred percent.
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Rich and Poor Large Larger
20.
Despite
the proximity to the European markets, the Scanian region is lagging far
behind in future related investments. In fact, investments and business
establishments in Scania of technology related activities are way below
the EU average.
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Centralism 1 Large Larger 21. The concentration of large corporations and financial institutions to the Stockholm area is overwhelming. It is likely to have a crippling effect on the rest of the country.
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Centralism 2 Large Larger 22. The concentration of organisations and institutions to the Stockholm area is likewise overwhelming.
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GRP Large Larger
23.
As
an obvious consequence of the tremendous concentration of government
institutions, corporations and organisations to the Stockholm area, the
efficiency is greater and the GRP considerably larger. |
GRP per Capita Large Larger
24.
Because
of the higher GRP per capita, the salaries are subsequently considerably
higher. Due to higher salaries, the educated youth leaves the regions and
goes to where the money and the opportunities are – in Stockholm. |
| GRP Stockholm Large Larger 25. Government representatives are often using the statement “What is good for Stockholm is good for the rest of the country” when trying to justify the regional imbalances in Sweden.
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State support? Large Larger
26.
The
number of people living on public allowances and support are greater in
the regions than in Sweden’s capital city. Yet, the regions are not
permitted to seek financial support for regional development projects
directly from the EU without making the detour via the State Government in
Stockholm. |
27. There is a striking lack of relationship between the members of the Regional Government in Scania and the people of the region. In fact, the two parties seem to move in two different directions.
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Europe tomorrow? Large Larger
28.
A
peaceful and prosperous development in Europe requires a regionalisation
and decentralisation of many aspects of everyday life – aspects that are
nearest to the hearts of people. A common European political vision must
be about giving back to people what are theirs: a sense of identity and
belonging as well as regional and local languages and cultures. This
vision has not yet reached the Government of Sweden. |
In fact - alarmingly - there are presently strong forces in the Swedish Government trying to have the “experiment” of the elected Regional Council of Skåne (Region Skåne) abolished altogether, in favour of a renewed state controlled political system. |
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©
SSF