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Thursday, May 15, 2025

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-armed-forces-seek-freedom-for-costly-purchases-without-government-approval/

Sweden

Swedish Armed Forces seek freedom for costly purchases without government approval

Published 6 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Michael Claesson has been Sweden's Commander-in-Chief since October last year.
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Last year, the limit for when the Swedish Armed Forces need government approval for purchases and other military equipment was raised from SEK 200 to 700 million (€18 to €60 million).

Now they want even more freedom and want to be able to make more expensive purchases than that without government approval.

“The Swedish Armed Forces see a need to speed up the handling of certain investments compared to today in order to further promote rapid capability growth”, it says in the budget document for 2026-2028 submitted to the government.

Among other things, the Swedish military leadership wants a mandate to purchase unlimited amounts of “bulk material” – such as ammunition, standard vehicles and personal equipment – without politicians being able to say no.

Similarly, it wants to be able to freely replace weapons and equipment donated to Ukraine during the current war.

As for “major acquisitions” of, for example, tanks, air defense systems, combat boats or radar systems, the government wants to continue to be able to buy these without political interference as long as the cost is less than SEK 700 million (€60 million).

Purchases of fighter aircraft, ship systems “or equivalent” must first be approved by the government regardless of the amount, just as before.

Substantial increase in the defense budget

“The starting point for current governance is that the government makes decisions on individual materiel items once a year. In recent years, however, decisions on itemizations have been made on an ongoing basis as a result of changes in the international situation, decisions on support for Ukraine and decisions on increased ambitions. The Armed Forces assess that the need for ongoing decisions will remain for the foreseeable future and propose that this should instead be the starting point for governance”, they write.

The government has previously announced that it is “implementing the strongest reinforcement of total defense since the Cold War” and that the defense budget will grow to at least SEK 185 billion (€17 billion) by 2028 – 2.6% of GDP.

Analysts say the real increase is expected to be much higher than that and that it is likely that NATO member states will need to spend at least 3.5% of GDP on their defense in the future – which for Sweden would mean an additional €5,5-6.5 billion annually, on top of the sums already proposed.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-government-pledges-to-deport-more-criminals/

Sweden

Swedish government pledges to deport more criminals

Migration crisis in Europe

Published yesterday 14:41
– By Editorial Staff
According to Johan Forsell, the proposed changes are "ultimately about redress for victims of crime".
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

More people will be deported for crimes – and fewer will be able to return to Sweden after deportation. That was the government’s message when a new report was presented on Wednesday.

Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M) believes that the number of deported criminals will be “sixfold” and claims that “Sweden will now have the toughest regulations for criminal deportations in the entire Nordic region”.

The governing parties and the Sweden Democrats have long argued that they want to deport more foreigners who commit crimes in Sweden – and now a report has been produced with proposals on how this should be done in practice.

One of the proposals is that perpetrators should be deported for all crimes carrying a more severe penalty than a fine – regardless of whether there is considered to be a risk of reoffending or not.

Another proposal is that prosecutors should be required by law to seek deportation “if the crime is grounds for deportation” – which would be a major change from the current situation, where each prosecutor makes this assessment themselves.

Furthermore, there is a desire to “strengthen the balance between the reasons for and against deportation” and to base future decisions on the minimum requirements set by the EU, without making more generous interpretations than necessary.

More lifetime re-entry bans

It will also be easier than today to deport criminals who came to Sweden before the age of 15. In future, it will not be a general court but the Swedish Migration Agency that will examine any obstacles to enforcement in connection with the expulsion decision.

The fact that deported criminals have been able to return to Sweden freely just a few years after their deportation has long been a source of frustration in society, and it is now proposed that re-entry bans should in many cases be longer or completely permanent.

“If the severity of the crime corresponds to imprisonment for less than six months, the re-entry ban shall normally be set at five years. If the punishment corresponds to imprisonment for six months or more but not imprisonment for one year and six months, the re-entry ban shall normally be set at ten years. For higher penalties than this, i.e., imprisonment for one year and six months or more, the re-entry ban shall, as a general rule, not be limited in time”, the government writes in a press release.

“Justice for the victims”

Finally, the penalties for staying in the country in violation of a re-entry ban will be tightened, and anyone who employs a person who does not have the right to stay in Sweden will also be punished more severely than is currently the case. The constitutional amendments are proposed to enter into force on January 1, 2027.

– It’s time to stop coddling people who come to Sweden and commit crimes. The number of deportations due to criminal offenses is expected to increase sixfold under the inquiry’s proposals. Step by step, we are making Swedish migration policy more just. Ultimately, this is about justice for the victims, said Migration Minister Johan Forssell.

– Sweden will now have the toughest regulations for criminal deportations in the entire Nordic region, he continues.

If the number of people sentenced to deportation for crimes were to increase sixfold, this would mean around 3,000 deportation decisions per year, compared with around 500 today.

Home countries do not want to take back their citizens

However, a recurring problem has long been that the former home countries do not want to accept their criminal citizens.

Many criminals in Sweden today come from countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia, but despite deportation orders, it is usually not possible to enforce deportations to these and many other countries – and they instead remain in Sweden. The parties in the current coalition have not yet presented any concrete solution to this problem.

It should also be noted that under the Moderate Party’s leadership, Sweden has continued to receive around 100,000 migrants annually, and critics argue that stricter deportation measures will have limited effect as long as mass immigration is not also stopped. Under current legislation, migrants who have been convicted of crimes and have obtained Swedish citizenship cannot be deported.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/economy/swedish-state-secretary-bought-saab-shares-day-before-hungary-gripen-deal-announcement/

Economy

Swedish state secretary bought Saab shares day before Hungary Gripen deal announcement

The corruption in Sweden

Published yesterday 11:31
– By Editorial Staff
Many defend Janse on the grounds that the sums involved are relatively small - but experts say that doesn't matter.
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The day before it was announced that Hungary would purchase four Jas 39 Gripen aircraft from Sweden – a deal worth around SEK 2 billion (€180 million) – State Secretary Diana Janse (M) bought shares in Saab, the company that manufactures the aircraft.

Although the sums involved are relatively small, experts believe that this action is deeply inappropriate and risks damaging public confidence in the government.

Hungary was the last country to approve Sweden’s heavily criticized NATO application, and an agreement was also reached between the countries that included a deal on the sale of Swedish fighter jets.

Saab’s shares also rose sharply when the deal became known – something that benefited State Secretary Diana Janse, who had bought shares in the arms manufacturer for just under SEK 10,000 (€900) the day before the announcement.

– She bought several shares that day and did not give any special consideration to the timing, commented Trade Minister Benjamin Dousas (M) press secretary to the tabloid Aftonbladet, which first reported the share purchase.

At the time, Janse was working for the then Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Johan Forssell, and today she holds the same position, but under Benjamin Dousa. She denies that she had any prior knowledge of the deal.

– A state secretary participates in preparations within their area of responsibility. This means that not all state secretaries participate in or are informed about all preparations that come to the ministry. At the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the cabinet secretary is responsible for issues relating to NATO, said her press secretary.

“Should keep a safe distance”

However, not everyone is impressed by the explanations, and Claes Sandgren, senior professor of law at Stockholm University and former chairman of the Swedish Anti-Corruption Institute, believes that the action is directly damaging to public trust.

– Considering that she was State Secretary with political responsibility for trade issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that the agreement was coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, her share purchase appears clearly inappropriate.

– There is a ban on insider trading for anyone with insider information. They must keep a safe distance from anything that could be perceived as improper. According to the guidelines, such actions can damage confidence in the government, he continues.

It is often difficult to determine exactly who had insider information and who did not, especially since those accused almost always deny such allegations. However, Sandgren believes that similar allegations of corruption can easily be avoided and that neither politicians nor state secretaries should manage their own share purchases.

– Given her central position, she should, like ministers, not engage in share trading herself but place her holdings in an independent custody account with a bank.

Recurring scandals

It is worth noting that this is not the first time that high-ranking representatives of the Moderate-led government have made questionable private share purchases in companies with which the Swedish state does business. In March, the newspaper reported how Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) bought shares in the Swedish defense and IT company Mildef.

This purchase took place at the same time as the Swedish government was negotiating a multi-billion order from the arms industry – where Mildef was one of the companies that benefited financially from the deal.

As in the case of Diana Janse, many supporters defended the purchase on the grounds that the amounts involved were relatively small – around SEK 10,000 (€900)– arguing that this is pocket change for a minister.

However, according to Daniel Stattin, professor of civil law at Uppsala University, the size of the purchase is of little significance in this context: “The principle is really the same: make sure you don’t do business where independence or self-interest can be called into question”.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedes-will-soon-need-only-digital-healthcare-visit-to-switch-genders/

Sweden

Swedes will soon need only digital healthcare visit to “switch genders”

The LGBT lobby

Published yesterday 7:15
– By Editorial Staff
The Gender Reassignment Act pushed through by Ulf Kristersson is seen as a major victory by LGBTQ organizations.
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The much-criticized Gender Reassignment Act (Könsbyteslagen) comes into force on 1 July – and it is clear that, in practice, a single digital healthcare visit will often be enough to “change” legal gender.

The Nordic TImes has previously highlighted the law – which was pushed through by Ulf Kristersson with the help of Moderate MPs who were actually against it but who still voted yes in the end, because they were afraid of otherwise losing their jobs or risking other reprisals.

The newspaper has also highlighted criticism of the law – including from Jovanna Dahlgren, professor of pediatric endocrinology, who believes that the amended legislation risks having a very large negative consequence for vulnerable young people.

– There is more and more information and facts that indicate that the sharp increase in gender dysphoria in the last 15-20 years is largely due to the fact that many girls have an identity crisis, and it comes quite suddenly in adolescence, she argued.

Dahlgren also points out that “very many” young people who are reported to suffer from gender dysphoria also have autistic traits or diagnoses, and that it often seems to be a temporary identity crisis – which is why a quick gender change is not an optimal solution.

“Based on individual self-determination”

However, the criticism was dismissed, and in a month and a half the new legislation will come into force. One major change will be that a diagnosis of transsexualism will no longer be required to “change” one’s legal gender – only a “simpler medical examination”.

The “assessments” will not only be carried out by psychologists or psychotherapists, but also by health care counselors. According to the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare’s guidance, in most cases a single online medical visit will be sufficient to obtain a certificate that can then be used to change a person’s gender in the national register

– It’s important to remember that this is a regulation that is largely based on the individual’s own self-determination and where the process should also be simple, says Pär Ödman, chief legal adviser at the National Board of Health and Welfare, to state radio SR.

“Completely unreasonable”

Another major change will be that you no longer need to be an adult to undergo the “sex change” – as long as you have parental consent, this process can be carried out as early as the age of 16.

Linda Lindberg, leader of the Sweden Democrats, calls the new law “completely unreasonable” and notes that it is a very vulnerable group that now risks feeling even worse.

– These are usually people who are questioning their identity and who are certainly not feeling very well. This is not the right way to deal with this type of care issue, absolutely not.

However, Ulrika Vesterlund, spokesperson for the Green Party on LGBTI issues, disagrees with this criticism and instead says that it “sounds good” that the legal gender reassignment processes are now being simplified.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-homeowners-could-face-thousands-in-fees-for-municipal-climate-action/

Sweden

Swedish homeowners could face thousands in fees for municipal “climate action”

The exaggerated climate crisis

Published 13 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
According to Romina Pourmokhtari, Minister for Climate and Environment, municipalities will not be able to charge land and property owners "any amount".
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A new report suggests that Swedish property owners may be required to finance municipalities’ “climate adaptation measures”, with costs potentially reaching tens of thousands of EUR.

The proposal, which has been submitted to Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L), gives municipalities the right to, for example, build flood defenses to protect “matters of public interest” – and then charge property owners who are considered to benefit from the measure.

The investigator Johan Hjalmarsson himself points out that the term “public interest” is deliberately broad and vaguely worded.

– It could be buildings such as municipal buildings and schools, but it doesn’t have to be. There will need to be a municipal connection, but it doesn’t have to be a municipal facility, he told state television.

However, for the fee to apply, there must be a “significant risk” of damage from a specific natural event, and this risk must be eliminated by the measure. A property owner’s total fee may not exceed 10 percent of the market value of the property.

“Cannot charge whatever fees they want”

Liberal Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari claims that the proposal is about dealing with the direct consequences of the alleged climate crisis:

– In the same way that we have great respect and a strong desire to defend property rights in Sweden, with property rights come not only freedoms but also obligations. This is an example of the real consequences of climate change. Not in the future, but today, and that must be taken into account, she asserts.

She further promises that municipalities “cannot charge whatever fees they want”.

– Whether the government will implement this or not is something we cannot say today, she continues, describing the proposals as “interesting”.

Not all coastlines can be protected

The report also proposes that the state take responsibility for protecting certain coastlines from flooding through physical barriers, and Hjalmarsson admits that this will require prioritizing and choosing what to protect and which communities to leave exposed to the elements.

– But this is not something that will change overnight; the costs can be spread out over many years.

He argues that the need is urgent and that he has “met many municipalities that see the need for a decision from the state now”.

Maximum temperatures in nursing homes

The report also highlights the need to introduce maximum temperatures in premises for particularly vulnerable groups, such as the elderly.

– Heat waves are already a major problem for the elderly in our society. So I think it’s very important that these issues are brought to light and that we discuss what we can do, says Pourmokhtari.

For municipalities, this could mean a requirement to install air conditioning in nursing homes.

– If requirements are the way forward, this is something the government will need to look at. But action will be needed, and too little is being done today, adds the minister.

The investigator’s report will now be prepared by the Government Offices and sent out for consultation in accordance with standard procedures.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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