KALDEREN KEEPS HIS INDEPENDENCE
"As you can tell, I am not very upset with these proposals for the reorganization of the Debt Office,' said Lars Kalderen, the Office's director general. He was talking about proposals published on February 13 by a parliamentary commission appointed to draft new constitutions for the Debt office and the Central Bank, and to redefine the Office's relationship with the other financial institutions in the government. As they now stand, the proposals represent a compromise --but a compromise which favours Kalderen.
For the past 200 years the Debt Office has been an autonomous agency under the ultimate authority of the Riksdag (Parliament). It was established by the Riksdag in 1789 with the specific intention of removing the power to borrow from the government of Gustavus III, who was threatening to start an expensive war with Russia.
In its present form it is controlled by a board of seven commissioners, six of whom are members of parliament, three from the government parties and three from the opposition. The seventh member, the chairman, is a senior civil servant. The present chairman is also the governor of a northern Swedish province. Reporting to the board, and running the Office, is the director general.