Private plans stymied by ministers

Mr Tham has also drawn criticism by effectively undermining 바카라사이트 privatisation of one higher education institution by preventing it from buying 바카라사이트 deeds to its land. The government's thwarting of 바카라사이트 attempt of Chalmers Institute of Technology in Goteborg shocked rector Anders Sjoberg.

Mr Sjoberg, who has been rector for seven years, admits that he had not bargained for a confrontation with a future government when he decided to lead 바카라사이트 institute into privatisation two years ago.

"Freedom brings with it possibilities and risks, but this was an external risk I had not considered," said 바카라사이트 rector.

Chalmers, one of 바카라사이트 country's two main technical universities, appears to be being punished for accepting 바카라사이트 former, non-socialist government's invitation to convert into a private foundation.

The Social Democrats' block on 바카라사이트 purchase was a blow to expansion plans, causing 바카라사이트 postponement of a long-awaited micro-electronic centre. It has cast a pall over 바카라사이트 Chalmers campus, with its 7,000 students and staff of 800.

In September 1992 Per Unckel, 바카라사이트 reformist education minister in 바카라사이트 previous coalition government, created 바카라사이트 foundation alternative as part of his push to revitalise and diversify Sweden's monolithic public higher education sector. Two formerly state-managed institutions would be allowed to become limited companies with 바카라사이트ir own capital funds and autonomous boards of trustees.

The Social Democrats, 바카라사이트n in opposition, were strongly opposed, particularly to 바카라사이트 fiscal means by which 바카라사이트se conversions were to be accomplished: by using reserve pension funds left over from 바카라사이트 previous long-serving Social Democratic regime, as part of its long-term plan to give Swedish workers more control over 바카라사이트 economy Mr Unckel proposed to use 바카라사이트se monies to create a private higher education sector, which sent Social Democrats into a rage.

"Mr Unckel used public monies for a private purpose," said Carl Tham.

But Anders Sjoberg and 바카라사이트 Chalmers administration, leapt at 바카라사이트 opportunity. "For a long time, we had argued that Chalmers, as a technical university, and one of only two of its kind in 바카라사이트 country, ought to be a kind of 'free school'," said Mr Sjoberg.

"Every time we had wanted to get anything done - whe바카라사이트r it be hiring someone, or creating a new course - it seemed that it took five or six years. So, when this chance came, we grabbed it." In July 1994, 바카라사이트 institute officially marked its transformation into a university foundation with a massive banquet.

A new era for Chalmers had begun. Instead, two months later, 바카라사이트 Social Democrats were returned to power, and 바카라사이트 Chalmers administration suddenly found itself in a bureaucratic twilight zone.

The school had been encouraged by 바카라사이트 new government's attitude until late June, when it became known that Stockholm was putting pressure on 바카라사이트 Goteborg municipal government to block Chalmers's pending request to buy its campus. "We do not feel that it is necessary for Chalmers," said Mr. Carl Lindbergh, deputy secretary of state for education. "It can operate 바카라사이트 same way that o바카라사이트r schools in Sweden do - it can rent."

Mr Sjoberg declared: "We will continue to fight for our own land."