05/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - Cecilia Malmström, member of the Swedish Liberal Party, expressed indignation in a press release entitled "Will a left-wing Swedish government discriminate against new EU citizens?". Her indignation was about the declarations made this week by Swedish Prime Minister Social Democrat Göran Persson, on the right to free movement of nationals from the future EU Member States. During the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council, last year, the government had "resisted the seven-year derogation on free movement for citizens of the candidate states, that some Member States proposed", she recalls. She deplored the fact that "now, Mr Persson is ready to activate the seven-year transition clause, if significant problems occur". "Towards the end of the Swedish election campaign, PM Göran Persson has suddenly become afraid of alleged massive immigration from the candidate states", she said, noting that these declarations have been exploited by the German media in the context of the Bundestag election of 22 September. Fears are "based on prejudice and false information", she stresses, noting that countries like Sweden "need labour immigration to be able to maintain economic growth".