If Löfvens ministers were listed on the stock exchange, it would be säljläge on the minister of defence Hultqvists shares. It is not good for Sweden.
outsiders it is not easy to evaluate the security risks of Karlshamn is now saying yes to store the Russian tubes. Critics points out that the Nord Stream project is owned by Gazprom, which in practice is the Kremlin’s extended arm. Not far from the port of Karlshamn is some of Sweden’s most important military installations such as the Blekinge wing (F 17, and the naval base in Karlskrona.
Against this can be adduced that the situation in Karlshamn is different than the one in Slite. In the latter case, the Russian request to rent a area and a berth in the Silte port. It had been an infuriating risk-taking on such a strategically important place which the island of Gotland.
In Karlshamn is to offer a free destination for the Russian tubes in the port, where the Swedish staff shall be for all handling of the tubes. Already today, call around 700 Russian ship with a Russian crew to the port of Karlshamn every year. Among other things, transported much of the Russian oil to Sweden in this way.
From Karlshamn go also very much of the Swedish export to the Russian ports and then proceed. Significant commercial interests are therefore at stake for Swedish shipping . It is not clear in what way the storage of the Russian tubes would differ markedly from the rest of the traffic that’s already taking place.
Some things can however, with certainty. A first is that the government has handled the issue of the Nord Stream 2 in a remarkably clumsy way. Instead of sambereda the issue in good time and to weigh different interests against each other, the government has taken a decision in the last second. When it comes to Karlshamn has also changed the foot facing the open curtain.
According to The sources, the government’s reversal is that the armed Forces had provided an inadequate basis for the decision in december. It should not have appeared to Karlshamn, sweden already has an extensive traffic with the Russian ships. If the reports are true, it is ominous for the confidence of the leaders.
But it is also clear that the issue has been the subject of a tug-of-war within the government. As so often in the past has the department of state and department of defense pulled in different directions, with the result that even an important decision has been in the longbench.
And just as in the case of the Swedish contribution to France’s request for help in the war against terrorism, it is Margot Wallström, who has been victorious from the power struggle.
Regardless of the merits of the case, it is unfortunate of the government’s work slow-down by internal power struggles and the defence minister goes on the pump again and again. Sweden is in greater need than ever of a powerful minister who has the prime minister’s ear and who can ask for more money to the protection of Sweden.
Last but not least, it is absolutely necessary that Sweden change the law so that the local self-government ceases in matters relating to the interests of national security. Let’s move on, government!
also Read: We are under attack from Russian propaganda
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