New times: We are a newspaper – Sveriges Radio

The Book Fair’s theme this year is Freedom of expression – something that had critics talking about hypocrisy and censorship after the fair’s decision not to admit the journal New Times to participate.

Vávra Suk new Tider’s editor in chief and says that the magazine wanted to be with Book Fair to meet with readers and establish contacting with new groups of readers. According to him, the New Times readers received new attention after the debate has brought.

– The publicity has helped us to reach new groups, he says.

Criticism of the Book Fair’s first decision, to let New Tider exhibit at the Book Fair, has been strong. In Tuesday’s Studio a said Eric Rosen , editor of Politism , the New Times has “close ties to Nazism, spreads anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, and has highlighted the Holocaust deniers as Swedish The committee against anti-Semitism pointed out. “

But Vávra Suk calls the description ridiculous. He has a background as active in the National Democrats, but says New Times not pushing any political agenda.

– We are a newspaper and no view machine or party. We have various chroniclers who like different things in different issues. I am convinced that the entire editorial staff will agree with me that we are for democracy, in which the people rule.

The New Times has also been accused of being anti-Semitic . One who has written for the New Times is Jüri Lina , who wrote this in his book “ World Builders’ fraud ”

“More and more people have begun to doubt the hysterical Holocaust propaganda. Gaskammarlögnerna will sooner or later end up in the dustbin of history “

– We provide space for a variety of opinions, I can not stand for or know what people expressed in other contexts. We have reviewed Jüri Lina book, written news articles about his film and it’s the things we have highlighted. What he has done in other contexts to stand for him, says Vávra Suk.

Book Fair CEO Maria Källsson is self-critical that they let the New Times to be there from the beginning.

– After the first decision, to let them be involved, so we received many inquiries where the media asked how we were thinking. It was a reflex, we stand behind free speech and is a permissive arena where many voices could be heard. But we received extensive responses to this and it was perhaps not the scope but the content of these – the book fair reasoning and that people did not recognize the Book Fair’s actions and what we stand for – that got us to act. We will assess the exhibitors, it should have been more thorough in this case.

Why can not they be there?

– The values ​​that Book – Book fair has stood for, many will be heard and we cherish free speech, but to stand behind human rights and above all equality of all people. We figured to read what the magazine wrote and what others have written. We have no views on that New Times has been press support or the right to be published, but what we have to relate to is whether they will be exhibiting at the book fair.

Maria Källsson believe the Book Fair will make a more accurate research of future exhibitors.

– Yes, but I’m confident that we have and will continue to have very high ceilings.