 Jämtland is a self-proclaimed republic (started by the people behind the festival) and has its own president, Ewert Ljusberg, who at precisely midnight on Saturday appears in front of 25,000 people at the town square to deliver his annual speech on the topic of freedom, humanity and solidarity, though the speech usually contains some anti-Swedish government and anti-EU propaganda as well.The president's entrances are usually quite spectacular.In 1996 he rode in on a seven-ton elephant, in 1999 he entered in a huge air balloon that landed at a house roof on the square, and in 2000 he surfed over the crowd to the stage.