Senior Swedish politicians have condemned far-right leader Jimmie Akesson on Wednesday for travelling to Greece to tell migrants that his country was full.
Migration minister Morgan Johansson led the criticism, telling news agency TT that the stunt was "totally ridiculous" and that Sweden Democrats chief Akesson had only gone to the border to "pose for cameras".
Mr Akesson's party confirmed he had visited Greece, writing on Twitter: "We all remember the migration chaos of 2015 and we have to do everything we can to make sure it never ever happens again."
Thousands of migrants have massed at the Greek frontier since Turkey announced last week that they would no longer be prevented from crossing into the European Union.
Mr Akesson reportedly handed out flyers with the message "Sweden is full".
"So if you want to go to Sweden, then that is a bad idea. We don't have the capacity to help more," Mr Akesson told newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, adding that he had travelled to the border city of Erdine.
However, other party leaders were quick to criticise the move.
Anders Jonsson, acting Centre Party leader, told TT it was "not worthy of a Swedish party leader" and Jonas Sjostedt of the socialist Left Party called it "pitiful" in a tweet.
Since entering parliament in 2010, the Sweden Democrats have capitalised on anti-immigrant sentiment, as Sweden has taken in around 440,000 asylum seekers since 2012.
The party has steadily advanced in the polls, arguing that the influx of migrants is putting a strain on the country's generous welfare state.
In the most recent 2018 general election, the party won 17.5 per cent of the votes, but it was still shut out of government talks with other parties.
An opinion poll published by public broadcaster Sveriges Radio last week suggested the Sweden Democrats were the country's largest party, with over 23 per cent support.
