In the late 1960's, as part of an ancient tradition to support and strengthen local decision-making rights against central authorities, a law giving local veto rights to the municipality was established (41). Several times since then proposals to seriously weaken the local veto have been made. The power of municipalities to veto activities that they decide are unacceptable must be maintained.
In the legislation the local veto could only be invalidated by a special law passed by the Parliament. This guarantees a democratic decision making process with public control. The changes suggested would allow the local veto to be canceled by a simple decision of the Government without either preceding debate or public supervision. The change was openly proposed because of the controversy expected over finding a nuclear waste storage site. The changes were even backed by members of the Government, who lied that the change would be necessary in order to enforce awkward but important decisions. In fact, the Parliament is precisely the right body to discuss such an important matter as the nuclear waste problem.
The local veto does not cover all types of environmentally hazardous activities, for example test drilling for a high-level nuclear waste storage facility. However, the Government can rule that any activity falls under the veto law. That is what happened for expansion of uranium mining at Ranstad and plans for uranium mining at Pleutajokk. In 1977, Skövde and Falköping municipalities, both directly affected by the Ranstad uranium mine, said "no" to further operation of the mine. The veto probably saved several billions of crowns (hundreds of millions of US$), at the same time as it prevented unimaginable damage to the environment. This is a good example of responsible use of veto rights.
As this is being written, the status of the veto right is uncertain. In 1987 SKN requested that the Government weaken the local veto (42). Although in the fall of 1986 the Parliament directed the Government to submit a new proposal on the veto law, this has not yet been done. The local veto must be strengthened, and the concept widened to embrace every type of environmentally dangerous activity above a certain size. Annulment of the municipal veto must be allowed only after full debate in the Parliament and the passage of a law. Any other procedure is a serious weakening of democracy.