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poetics
hen Mikael and | started MieEDITOR'S LETTER CONTINUES -
‘Some peaple seam'te consider our apprasch dangerously radical:
I hink of il as oldstashioned, in the best sense of the word. It has
not always made us Welcome in certain executive suites, acim
‘edly, But the role we play is. essential if Sweden Isto live Up to ts
promise as: socisty—one that offers prosperity to iis clizens.and
‘opportunity ta its investors and business people.
We hold ourselves to.an equally high standard, and that has made
the events of the past few weeks particularly painful, The libel
‘action that was brought against M&xaal by Hans-Erik Wennerstrim
was, we feel, without mer. When Mikael first came to me wit his
report on the Wennerstrém Group's investments in Poland, we
considered carefully the information at hand. Neither Mikae! nor 1
would have printed the story withoul good mason lo believe our
Sources. | Gannat at this point say more. The court has made its
ruling, and we sre bound to accept Its Judgment. But I will not
accept the idea that Herr Wennersirim and his atiamays have
somehow negated Miksels achiovemants, ar Milennium's.
1've keawn Mikael since we mat in journalism school twenty years
‘ago. Back then, we used to stay up late talking about the magae
zine we would start one day—a magazine that very much
regembled the one- you are holding naw. | could see already that
Mikael would become the kind of journalist who: could nat only
‘breathe life into such a publication but keep it going over the long
jorm, Ho's a-dogged reporter and a gifted writer. He can describe
the labyrinthine dealings of the financial world with euch clarity and
verve that they become not just understandable but entertaining.
He can be scathing in his assessment of coleaques he feels have
betrayed their caling—anyone who has read his book The Knighis
‘Templar can attest to that, But it is precisely because he takes
Such a principled stance that | have always fll privieged to work
wit him,
MILLENNIUM
Mannium has often taken a contrarian view, 60 It should surprise
rho one that the ourrent issue Is @ celebration of Mikael Blomikvist
land his work. insica you wil find a revealing prafla by a-colleague
who knows and admires him. You will also see:a detailed account
of the Wennersirm exposé by Monika Nisson, one of
\Miiennium’s:top reporters, explaining which segments of the stary
the court upheld and which ones It ruled against. We are not at
pprosent prepared to go further. But when we are ready to east
further Eght on the Wennerstrém affair. we will da $0.
Erika Berger,
Editor n-Chiat
=
HAS OFTEN TAKEN ACONTRARIAN VIEW, SOITSHOULD SURPRISENOONE THAT THE
CURRENT ISSUE ISA CELEBRATIONOF MIKAEL BLOMKVIST AND HIS WORK.