PM sues pharmaceutical company over 'Fidel' advert

Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson is suing a pharmaceutical company after claiming it used his name commercially.

Mr Persson wants £3,000 compensation from Bringwell for using his name and picture in an advert which compares him to Fidel Castro and Kim Jong II.

Bringwell is one of several Swedish based companies fighting the Government's monopoly of the pharmaceutical industry.

Bringwell's lawyer, Johan Hessius, said: "It isn't really a commercial advert, but an attempt to get people to voice their opinion.

"It's rather a question of whether or not the Government should be allowed to have a monopoly."

Since it is an opinion, Bringwell believes it is protected by the freedom of speech act and Mr Persson has no claim.

The company was recently charged by the Government for selling nicotine chewing gum, which is classified as medicine in Sweden, at one of its stores.

The company counteracted by charging the Swedish Government with breaking the EU's laws regarding monopolies and unfair trade practices.