Peter Magnus Nilsson, the state secretary appointed by Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, resigned Thursday after being embroiled in a scandal for illegally fishing for European eel, an endangered species.
«I want to thank Ulf Kristersson for his trust, warm leadership and cheerful humor. I have a fantastic staff who were fun to work with. I have learned a lot in a certainly too short but very intense time,» he has indicated on his official Facebook profile.
Swedish police are investigating Nilsson, who was appointed to the post at the end of October, for offenses related to species protection after it emerged that he caught at least 15 eels in 2021.
The now-resigned state secretary, who will have to pay a fine of SEK 39,000, has claimed that he apologized for what happened and that he understands the «inappropriateness of the situation.» Eel fishing is strictly regulated in Sweden and a total ban on recreational fishermen without a special permit has been in place since 2007, according to Swedish media reports.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
