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From: TT
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Updated:
Photo: Tomas Bengtsson / TT
Swedish combat vehicle 90. Stock Photography
A parliamentary majority wants Sweden to clearly state that NATO membership is a possible alternative.
But the government does not intend to add a NATO option to its security policy line.
The Riksdag is expected to decide next week to ask the government to have a NATO option along Sweden’s security policy line in an announcement.
Behind the proposal are the moderates (M), the Christian democrats (KD), the center party (C), the liberals (L) and the Swedish democrats (SD).
C’s foreign policy spokesperson, Kerstin Lundgren, emphasizes that it is not about Sweden applying for membership in NATO.
– It is about us acting politically and militarily so that we have that opportunity. The door opens, but we don’t go in, he says.
M’s foreign policy spokesman Hans Wallmark believes that a NATO option is an important signal to the outside world that NATO membership is in Sweden’s security policy “toolbox”.
– That it depends on Sweden and that we make decisions about it independently and independently, he says.
Wallmark also claims that a NATO option is a good one when you want to further deepen defense policy cooperation with Finland.
-Then it is good that we have a synchronized and coordinated line, he says.
TT: To be able to join NATO at the same time?
– This means, among other things, and above all that it is marked that we do it, if we wish, says Wallmark.
Finland has had a pronounced choice of NATO in its security policy since the 1990s.
Still opponents
There is still a majority against NATO membership in the Riksdag. M, KD, C and L want Sweden to join NATO. But SD is opposed to NATO membership.
– We clearly say no. We haven’t changed our mind, says Roger Richtoff, SD’s defense policy spokesman.
The reason SD supports the government’s call for a NATO option is that he believes it will facilitate deep defense cooperation with Finland.
– We want to enter into a defense alliance with Finland, says Richtoff.
According to Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist (S), a NATO option does not matter for Swedish-Finnish cooperation.
– The only thing this contributes to is creating some uncertainty about the situation in Sweden, he says.
Government uprising
The actions of the five parties upset the government. Chancellor Ann Linde (S) warns that signals sent to the outside world are negative for the security of Sweden.
– Such sudden changes based on rather weak majorities, not good. You run the risk of generating new changes if the majority changes, he says.
– Create uncertainty. It undermines the credibility of the Swedish security policy. That is why we have always made security policy decisions in broad consensus.
The Riksdag chamber will make a decision on the announcement next week.
– I think parliamentary parties should carefully consider the consequences of voting in favor of the announcement, says the Foreign Minister.
Linde emphasizes that it is the government that sets Sweden’s security policy line in government statements and foreign statements. The current line will be fixed.
– The government is convinced that the military freedom of alliance serves Sweden well and contributes to security in northern Europe, says Linde.
But Hans Wallmark of M: s wants some kind of “recognition” that the government is heeding the call of the Riksdag.
Photo: Virginia Mayo / TT NEWS AGENCY
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO.
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