Military affairs

Gustaf Göthberg (M)

Madam Speaker and honorable members! The flowers have now bloomed along the front line in Ukraine. On the third year after the second winter, spring has now arrived in a country where the war has raged for far too long. The attack against a peaceful country that has sought its independence and its European identity is an attack on all of us. Sweden and our allies will continue to support Ukraine to victory, politically, economically and militarily.

Our allies, yes. We now have such within the framework of our membership in Nato. In a historically rapid process – for it was indeed so if compared with other accession processes – Sweden became a full member of Nato just over a month ago. Then the non-alignment was buried in the country, missed by few. After an intellectual and geopolitical thaw, Sweden is, for the first time in many hundreds of years, surrounded by allies.

When the Chamber now debates the Committee on Defence's Report 4, a motion report on military issues, the front lines feel quite far away. It may certainly feel foreign that questions of geopolitical survival, that the Western democratic way of life is fighting for its survival in places like Kharkiv and Kherson, are broken down for us in the report into rather current positions on environmental emissions in Vättern and state agency cooperation for crime prevention purposes. But everything is connected. From Vättern to Kharkiv it is nearly 1,700 kilometers, but the questions in today's report trace a line between what the defense of Sweden and the defense of Europe actually entail.

Madam Speaker! A soldier in Sweden must train to be ready for combat. This requires weapons systems and vehicles built by a defense industry that our country is proud of. Personal equipment, raincoats, and boots are needed, which all too often have been lacking when the soldiers are to perform their tasks in our units. The soldiers and the civilian employees in the Armed Forces are to be recruited or conscripted and trained by officers who must have salaries they can live on and career opportunities ahead.

Soldiers must be allowed to train to be ready for the worst, with live ammunition in the field but also in built-up areas and in small towns. For the residents there, it will then become tangible that the Armed Forces are accelerating their activities in a dangerous global situation. The training activities may mean minor changes in the environment through emissions but must never risk the civil defense's responsibility to, for example, supply our country with clean drinking water. It is vital in a blockade situation.

Everything is connected, and everyone has a role in our total defense. The military issues are broad and deep.

Madam Speaker! A historic buildup of our defense is underway. The garrison locations are increasing as more young men and women step forward to perform their duty for our democracy. Historical reinforcements are taking place of our army combat forces, but also at sea and in the air.

In Sweden's largest garrison town, Halmstad, it is boiling with growth. In Sundsvall, conscripts are now on site for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century, at Västernorrlands regemente I 21. On Gotland, there is feverish activity in equipping the armored regiment, which the island is so proud of, and just a few weeks ago, HMS Artemis was christened in Karlskrona, Sweden's new signal intelligence ship which will very concretely increase our intelligence capability. Not least, in my hometown Gothenburg, Älvsborgs amfibieregemente, Amf 4, is soon outgrowing its clothes, that is, the premises out at Käringberget.

At the same time, the Defence Preparation Board, an organ not entirely unknown to some in this chamber, is laying the foundation for future defense decisions, which shall be made in this very chamber.

From the report, one thing is clear, and that is the broad consensus on a strong defense and the support for Ukraine. It may grate a bit at the edges and be divided over details, but the broad consensus is a strength for both Sweden and Ukraine. Let us continue on that path, not least for Ukraine's sake.

The report deals with issues as diverse as the organization of the Defense Music - a not entirely insignificant issue - cooperation with county administrative boards regarding the poisoning of our nature, and the Defense Forces' establishments and growth around the country. The report is broad because the issues we are discussing are extensive.

The government appointed a defense commission at the end of 2022 under the leadership of my highly esteemed colleague Hans Wallmark, who now has a couple of days left of his work. This work will be a cornerstone for the total defense decision that the government has announced and which, as stated, is to be decided upon in this very chamber.

Just this is one of the supporting arguments for why the Moderaterna argue that the committee's proposal, which entails the rejection of a number of motions linked to this, should be approved. There are good ideas, not least in the view on cooperation between the police and the defense forces and regarding the remediation of drinking water sources. But this is, as is known, also a task that is in many ways already ongoing, and it has furthermore been intensified in the regulatory letters to the responsible authorities. There are no reasons to perform double work.

In this chamber, we meet across party lines, originating from different ideologies and political perspectives and from different parts of our country, in a common endeavor to do what is best for Sweden and for the vital support for Ukraine. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank my valued colleagues in the Committee on Defence, who often, some might perhaps say always, work with the best interests in mind in a constructive and positive spirit.

Finally: To you who serve in uniform or work in civilian roles in our total defense, are a relative or have been out on a mission in the service of peace: Thank you! The contribution is important, and the work matters. The effort that is put in daily creates a sense of pride in this chamber, in this country, and in our entire surrounding area.

I vote in favor of the committee's proposal.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Erik Ezelius (S)

Madam Speaker! We are debating the Committee on Defence's report 4, Military matters, and I would first like to move for the approval of reservation 3 under point 2, New establishment.

Madam Speaker! We live in a historically difficult time. In modern times, the situation in our immediate surroundings has never been as restless as it is now. In that regard, it is a strength in Swedish politics that we can unite when it comes to the most serious issues in politics. It shows a capacity for action, which one must say has characterized defense policy over the last decade.

The Armed Forces have moved from reduced budget allocations and a shrinking organization to, in the relatively short term, "grow" - to use the Armed Forces' own vocabulary - in a way that is unparalleled. The 2015 defense decision constitutes a break in the trend, followed by the reactivation of conscription in 2017. Subsequently came the historic 2020 defense decision, which we can seriously call a paradigm shift in Swedish defense policy, with, among other things, newly established regiments and flotillas.

This has occurred in a global environment that since 2014 has been characterized by Russia's annexation of Crimea and the aggressions in eastern Ukraine. It is a strength that this chamber showed its best side after February 24, 2022, and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, both regarding the extensive support packages to Ukraine and regarding the realignment of Swedish security policy with the Nato application and now the completed Nato membership.

Due to the difficulty and complexity of these issues, I also want to emphasize that I have the deepest respect for both this and for previous defense preparations' work. Many of us are waiting for the final part of the preparation's work, which will come now at the end of April.

It is a successful model that the government gathers the parties in the Riksdag to analyze the situation, what needs exist, and what action is required. But it does not diminish the importance of the public debate continuing.

Many are the different interests that analyze and point out important areas, both strategic and socially significant. This has happened previously, among others after Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea which rendered a heated political debate regarding Gotland's conditions. Here, the politics pushed forward so that it would be a self-evident matter that the military presence should be re-established on what is referred to as the Baltic Sea's aircraft carrier. This occurred in a time when Sweden was in a more vulnerable position because we were not members of Nato.

Madam Speaker! In the question of making decisions, the motto "sooner rather than later" should apply to matters that are strategically important for Sweden, but now also to those that are important for our Nato allies. In the 2020 defense decision, it was stated that the defense of Central Sweden requires a present basic organization. It is therefore why we today can or will be able to see activities in, among others, Sollefteå, Östersund, Falun and Kristinehamn, as well as in Sundsvall, which was raised here.

The next step, we Social Democrats believe, in what is of strategic importance for Sweden is the military presence in the Arctic region. From several dimensions, it has been argued why a permanent military presence of a completely different scale than what we see today is required. It is ultimately Sweden's own capability, together with Norway's and Finland's, that will constitute the fundamental competence in our joint defense of the Arctic region. As it is often expressed: There is no NATO army waiting anywhere else. Even though Article 5 would obviously mean that the Arctic region would not fall into Scandinavia's lap alone, NATO's Article 3 points out that we must have the ability to defend ourselves.

The terrain and the subarctic climate demand a unique competence, which only we ourselves can become best at. This is seen, among other things, in the units we have further north that operate and live in that type of terrain and climate.

We Social Democrats believe that we need to take the next step to strengthen that capability with an additional regiment, this time north of the Arctic Circle.

Sweden will ultimately have an important task in functioning as a transit country to supply NATO's northeastern flank, namely Finland and the Baltics, with materiel and personnel. In this regard, the capability of host nation support, for example via Narvik and Trondheim, is of great importance. This requires conditions regarding, among other things, logistics and maintenance.

We must also not underestimate the importance of the strategic resources found in the Nordic Cap. Among other things, Kiruna and Gällivare account for 90 percent of Europe's iron ore production as well as other important rare earth metals and forestry. As the ice melts in the Arctic Ocean, this collectively causes interest in the Arctic region to increase.

We also highlight in our motion the site Kvarn in Motala municipality, a site where military activities are currently conducted as part of P 4, Skaraborg Regiment, with its main base in Skövde. Kvarn is a low-hanging fruit and has all the prerequisites required and needed to become a regiment. One has the infrastructure, training and shooting ranges, and the Markstridsskolan. Kvarn has a long tradition of military activity, and in times when the Armed Forces are to grow, we see this as a natural place to scale up the activities so that it becomes a new regiment.

(Applause)

In this speech, Johan Andersson (S) agreed.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Mikael Oscarsson (KD)

Madam Speaker! Today we are debating the Committee on Defence's report 4. I would like to begin by moving for the approval of the committee's proposal and the rejection of all motions.

This debate takes place in a very serious situation in our country and our part of the world, where a war is ongoing. The war in Ukraine is now in its third year. Putin and the Kremlin show no signs of giving up this horrific attack. We see how it continues with undiminished strength. We see zero respect for the laws of war from the Kremlin's, Russia's, side.

It is, as has been said here before, of the utmost importance that we continue to support Ukraine. We have from the Swedish side supported Ukraine, but let us continue to do what we can to help so that they can defend themselves and can remain as a free country.

We have also in our country made important reinforcements of our defense. We were a country that, unfortunately like all countries in Europe, after the Cold War scaled back very rapidly. All of us here in the chamber, and surely also you who are watching this, know that it is quite easy to tear something down; to extinguish something happens quickly, but to build something up takes time, and that is where we stand right now. We have a good defense force, but it needs to become larger and needs to have more resources.

This is something we are working on. It has already been pointed out here in the debate that work is underway in the Defence Preparedness Board, and we are to be finished in two weeks. I hope that we can achieve a strong and broad political consensus on the necessary investments that are required. We have joined Nato, and that is good and of the utmost importance. It makes our collective capability stronger and more deterrent. This is much of what it is about, to show, not least to Russia, that it is no idea to go after us.

It is also important to understand that even though we have now joined Nato, it is not a hammock we have landed in. It will require that we make necessary investments to strengthen our defense and our part of the world. Here we have deficiencies, for example, we know that there is a shortage of ground combat troops. Here it is important, and I hope that we can reach a consensus, that we stick to the defense decision from 2020. We know that it was a tough global situation then, but it has become tougher since then.

My hope is that we can agree that we can stick to that, for example when it comes to the brigades that we decided on then. There is one brigade in Boden, one in Skövde, one in Revinge, and half a brigade here in Stockholm, and there is also defense capability on Gotland. It is important that we do what we have said and that this is in place by 2030. I hope that we can reach such a position where we can be politically in agreement about it.

There are also challenges when it comes to shipping. I believe we have a special responsibility to ensure that shipping and trade in the Baltic Sea are maintained, both in peace and in crisis and, in the worst case, in war. This will require us to strengthen the Navy. The Navy is good, but it needs to become larger. The Air Force is good, but here too we need to ensure that we strengthen it and, not least, have the resources to be able to deploy the aircraft we have. They are very good, but they are vulnerable on the ground.

Madam Speaker! Briefly stated, there are challenges. We have a heightened security policy situation, but our hope is that together we can reach a broad agreement to make the necessary investments and add the necessary money required in the upcoming defense decision. It is no stranger than if one has a house and neglects to maintain it, or does not put enough money into the maintenance. Then it comes later when one wants to get the house into good condition, Madam Speaker. That is a bit of what it is about. We have underperformed for a long time when it comes to our defense appropriation.

During the Cold War, we, as the Chamber knows, invested 2 ½ percent and 3 ½ percent. We know that Poland is now at 4 percent. I hope that we can reach an agreement to make the necessary investments. These are not extravagances, but it is about making the necessary investments to be able to defend Sweden but also to be able to provide the contribution required together with Nato.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Sara-Lena Bjälkö (SD)

Madam Speaker! I want to begin by saying that I stand behind our reservation, but that, for the sake of time, I move for approval only of the committee's proposal in report FöU4 Military affairs in its entirety.

The world has become more dangerous than a year ago, said Pål Jonson at the Folk och Försvars conference this year. I want to say: Beautiful Sweden! We have a nearby war, and we will do everything to help Ukraine. I am proud to have the honor of being one of the decision-makers who are here for you to be able to bring an end to Putin.

Madam Speaker! At the same time, we must not forget the damaged Sweden, for that is how reality looks. We have ongoing gang crime, terrorist crimes and fatal shootings, yes, even an ongoing civil war, and we must put an end to this.

I do not want to leave a decayed Sweden behind me, but I want to leave behind a secure and beautiful Sweden. Then perhaps the Speaker of the House thinks: What does this have to do with military matters? Well, very much. I am almost certain that we in Sweden would not have been in the situation we are in today if we had not dismantled the defense at one time or another.

What do I base this on, other than words? Already in 2015, the security situation in Sweden deteriorated, and then the government at that time decided to resume the total defense and the military issues. We all know how it went and what criticism it has received and continues to receive, but much else has happened since then that makes it necessary for us to act now.

There is war in Europe, and the security situation is to be considered one of the most serious since the Second World War. I completely agree with the Defense Preparedness's assessment that Sweden is in serious times and that it is high time for a gathering of forces to expeditiously build up a stronger total defense.

Madam Speaker! We hear about Säpo's increased threat situation against us in our country. Most recently, on March 19, we learned through the media that in Germany, two men from Afghanistan had been taken who were suspected of having planned a terrorist attack in Stockholm.

We cannot turn a blind eye to reality. The police will need special support from the Armed Forces to be able to handle large-scale incidents. We also believe that police officers are in need of certain Armed Forces competencies that do not need to be of a directly combatant nature. This could involve transport, guarding, communication, command support, electronic countermeasures, and also ammunition clearance and maintenance. The list can be long, Madam Speaker.

There are telling experiences from the war in Ukraine that clearly demonstrate the need for what I mentioned, for example, the ability to repair damaged infrastructure. Certainly, Madam Speaker, I am aware that, for this to be able to function in real life, adapted legislation, cooperation, and not least practical consultation are required to identify the primarily administrative hurdles that will with great probability otherwise complicate and delay a joint effort.

It is therefore pleasing, Madam Speaker, that the committee, in its position on point 6 of the report, The Defence Forces' cooperation with other authorities, has included a part from request 13 in our motion. I look forward with pleasure to a positive response from the government.

In the report, the committee writes: "The committee assumes that the government removes administrative obstacles for expanded support, where expanded support may involve the sharing of information, the disruption of electronic means of communication, or means deemed justified to ensure the citizens' life and safety."

The committee stands behind the fact that the deteriorated security situation, which I mentioned in my speech, shows the police's need for support during extraordinary events such as, for example, a large-scale terrorist attack.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Hanna Gunnarsson (V)

Madam Speaker and honorable members! Hello to everyone who is listening and watching at home! At the same time as we stand here and debate, the war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza are ongoing. These are two wars that, here and now, are causing people to die and societies to be shattered.

We all need to work for a more peaceful and safer world, both here at home, in Ukraine and in Gaza. Invasions and occupations must cease. People must be given the power to decide over their own lives and the country they live in and, through democratic elections, build societies that are safe and secure but also democratic and equal and that have a good welfare for all.

Madam Speaker! Today we are debating the report Military Affairs, which contains motions on a large number of different subjects concerning military defense. Right now we are at the culmination of the Defense Committee's work, where we are discussing and trying to reach an agreement on the future development of the Swedish total defense.

It is a very interesting and rewarding work. I recommend and urge all committees and policy areas to try to work in that way and try to find similarities and move forward between the parties. There is a strength in trying to reach an agreement.

We live in a time where the need to build up our entire total defense is obvious. The terrible war in Ukraine has shown with all desired clarity that we live in a more uncertain time. There is war in our vicinity, and Russia is an imperialist country. Vänsterpartiet therefore supports the strengthening of Sweden's military defense.

At the same time, we must talk about total defense from a broad perspective. Our society and our world are interconnected. The military defense protects our borders, and the civil defense protects our societies. Society must function here and now, but also during a major crisis and, in the worst case, a war. Then all activities must be able to scale up and continue to work, but probably under significantly worse conditions. But if the staff in healthcare are already on their knees in the normal situation and the infrastructure is already failing now, neither healthcare nor the infrastructure will be able to withstand a crisis or, in the worst case, a war.

Madam Speaker! We are all dependent on having a functioning society to live in for our survival, a robust society with sustainable systems where we have food and water, fresh air and biodiversity. Without this, our societies do not function. Without water and food, air to breathe and bees and insects that ensure we can grow our food, we will not be able to survive. It is becoming more and more apparent to all of us how the total defense is interconnected and how every little bee is actually a part of our entire total defense. Without bees, there will be no cultivation, no security of supply and no robust society in times of crisis and war.

When this debate has been held in previous years, we in Vänsterpartiet have had a focus on climate and environmental issues. We are living in a climate crisis, after all. We have talked about Vättern, which is one of our major drinking water sources and which must be secured, despite increased military exercises around and over the lake. We have talked about the wind power that must be able to be expanded around our coasts while the Försvarsmakten is given space and room to exercise and conduct operations. We have also talked about the emissions of PFAS from some of our airports and training grounds where both the military and rescue services have practiced.

When it comes to the PFAS emissions, a judgment was issued just recently where the Swedish Armed Forces were ordered to pay for the remediation and purification of the water in Uppsala. It is a judgment that we welcome. It is important that the one who causes an emission also is responsible for the purification and cleanup of the same, and when it concerns drinking water, the emissions are even more serious.

Another important issue to handle is that the Armed Forces must have good contact with those living near regiments, flotillas, and training grounds. As training activities now increase and the Armed Forces are expanded, there is a risk of conflicts regarding the use of land, noise, and cordons during exercises. These are problems that the Armed Forces have a great responsibility to handle and mitigate so that residents, businesses, agriculture, and outdoor life can continue to live and function in the vicinity of the training grounds.

Madam Speaker! Vänsterpartiet has only one motion in the report we are debating this year, and it is precisely about seeing the whole. Military and civil authorities must cooperate better and more closely to manage major crises and together build up the total defense. There are resources and knowledge within the Armed Forces that should be of greater benefit to civil society. This concerns, for example, CBRN, i.e., dangerous substances, mine clearance, and information security, but also many other things. Society's resources must be seen as a whole – that is how we manage crises and major accidents in the best way.

I therefore move for approval of reservation 10.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Mikael Larsson (C)

Madam Speaker! Many others in today's debate have begun by saying that it is restless in our world, and I, of course, also want to emphasize that is the case. We see the terrible war that has hit Ukraine, and I actually want to remind in this debate that the war has been ongoing longer than since 2022. It began already in 2014. It is something we must factor in and remember: It has been going on for ten years.

We are now debating the Committee on Defence's report 2023/24:FöU4 Military matters. From the Centre Party's side, I will touch upon three areas. The first is strengthened defence capability throughout the country, the second is coexistence between the Armed Forces, residents, and other authorities, and the third is environmental and climate work.

Centerpartiet considers that Swedish defense capability should be developed so that the entire country can be defended through increased availability and improved operational capability, and that the Armed Forces should be represented throughout the country. In addition to strengthening the army's combat units and capability, we also need to ensure that we can defend Swedish territory at sea and in the air by having high capability within our submarine fleet, not only through our ships but also through our aviation. We shall also ensure that we can develop all of this within the different branches of the defense forces.

Not least, reinforcements of the defense capability will need to be made along the Baltic coast, in the Arctic and on the west coast to, for example, protect the flow of trade to and from the port of Gothenburg. To manage this, the availability of personnel, materiel and personal equipment as well as infrastructure is, of course, extremely important. Everything is interconnected.

This is a development that will need to occur over time. It has been initiated since the defense decision in 2015, with an expansion in 2020, and we now face making a new defense decision. The defense decision we are to make later this year will furthermore be historic because we have the Nato parts included. In order to be able to invest in the defense in the whole country, it is extremely important that we keep in mind that Nato also needs to be taken into account and that we understand that it must suit the whole country. If we do not do that – if it is not represented in the whole country – the will for defense can actually decrease among many of Sweden's inhabitants.

Madam Speaker! In the locations around the country where the Armed Forces are currently situated, there may be a great deal of uncertainty regarding what the military development should look like and how this is to be done together with the local residents. Given that the Armed Forces have a special status in, for example, the Environmental Code, it is particularly important to try to find coexistence solutions regarding the defense's activities at the local level. Otherwise, there is an obvious risk that trust in the Armed Forces at the local level will be eroded, both among the general public and among municipalities, regions, and the local politicians at these levels. If we do not achieve a good coexistence, the will for defense also diminishes.

That the will for early dialogue, cooperation, and coexistence can also exist among the local communities is obviously important. We all need to give and take, together, in the difficult time we are in. Here, the local authorities around the country truly have an important and responsible task to ensure that they achieve dialogue as early as possible - and also to press for this towards the Försvarsmakten. Good and early cooperation and will in different stages of a permit and decision-making process is fundamental for success and completely decisive for us to get defense establishments in as many places in the country as possible.

Local and regional development throughout the country also goes hand in hand with us strengthening the Armed Forces in the country. In this regard, the Center Party considers that a review of the application of the Environmental Code and the development of practice needs to be carried out in order to propose changes that enable a holistic assessment and a broader view of the total defense's interests as well as the de facto coexistence between different interests within the same geographical area.

Madam Speaker! We in the Center Party are convinced that sustainability and a green transition can contribute to increased resilience in the total defense. The Armed Forces shall take environmental considerations into account in its activities during peacetime, and the Armed Forces also work systematically to achieve a sustainable operation that reflects the goals in Agenda 2030 and the national environmental quality objectives.

There is, however, room for improvement, and it is clear that the Armed Forces and the Defence Materiel Administration can act as requirers to, where it is possible without negatively affecting the defense capability, to a greater extent make sustainable and green procurements in all types of activities that take place within the Armed Forces. This should, of course, also be included in the annual sustainability report.

There is great potential in defense research and defense development that contributes to both defense capability and increased self-sufficiency, as well as to the green transition being able to take significant steps forward within the Armed Forces. For example, the Jas has already been test-flown on biofuel. The defense industry should be able to constitute an important part of the green industrial revolution that is currently taking place all around Sweden. The Armed Forces and the Defence Materiel Administration should, together with the industry, take steps forward to achieve a defense where sustainability, supply, and security together constitute important parts. When it comes to the fuel issue, the Center Party believes that the public sector should lead the way when it comes to procurement so that biojet fuel can be obtained for what takes place within the Armed Forces and not only within regular aviation.

As we have said, we are debating the military defense, but we will return to these specific questions a bit later in the autumn when we are to make a new total defense decision. It is important that we reach an agreement as much as possible now when the world is as restless as it is, and I hope that we will be able to find as large and broad a majority as possible within the framework of the work taking place in the Defense Preparation Board. It is with long-term thinking that we build a stronger defense within Sweden's borders.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I would like to move for approval of the Center Party's reservation 2.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Emma Berginger (MP)

Madam Speaker! Sweden and Europe find themselves, as has been stated here earlier, in a very serious security policy situation following Russia's fearsome and illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the war that has actually been ongoing for ten years. It is worth noting that this conflict appears to be becoming long-term and will affect us for the foreseeable future. I therefore share the committee's conclusion on the importance of emphasizing that swift and purposeful measures are needed to strengthen Sweden's military defense.

I am part of the previously mentioned Defense Commission, which is in its final phase. It is there that the long-term direction for defense and security policy will be set. Miljöpartiet contributes actively and constructively to the work and strives for us to be able to reach a broad agreement. It was said earlier that we are only a few days away from being finished, but the fact is that there are approximately two and a half weeks of intensive work left until we are finished with this. It requires hard political work for us to reach broad agreements. But I am glad that we have this function.

Miljöpartiet has for several years stood behind a faster and more extensive build-up of the total defense, both the military and the civil defense. We stand behind the agreement between all parliamentary parties that was signed in the spring of 2022 that 2 percent of GDP shall be allocated to the military defense as soon as possible. We have also stood behind all support packages to Ukraine. Our support for Ukraine must continue, and it must be long-term and persistent.

With all this said, the purpose of our defense is to preserve peace. The defense shall be deterrent and peace-preserving. Therefore, we need to have a strong total defense. By increasing our readiness, both civil and military, we can influence the risk of war. We have the power to influence the future.

The Green Party emphasizes the importance of having a broad view of security. The threat landscape today is both broad and complex. Both military threats as well as non-military, civilian, and hybrid threats exist in parallel. We need to have a preparedness to meet both the military threats and other threats, such as climate change, natural disasters, pandemics, and cyberattacks. We therefore need to have a preparedness to withstand both crises and war, in the worst-case scenario at the same time. This also means that the preparedness we build must be able to handle many different types of threats.

Madam Speaker! Total defense needs to grow and the Swedish Armed Forces' various activities must be expanded, but it must not happen in a way that threatens the drinking water supply, food production, or the environment. I mean that the Swedish Armed Forces need to take into account to a greater extent how they can conduct their activities without risking affecting vital resources and values in a negative way. The defense must not threaten that which we need to protect.

Now, the most extensive upgrade of the Swedish defense in modern times is underway. It is a necessary upgrade, and it is taking place, as stated, due to the security policy situation resulting from Russia's despicable war of aggression. But in parallel, the Armed Forces have also demanded that the government grant them extensive exemptions from environmental laws for a period of five years, which among other things are intended to protect drinking water. But pure drinking water also constitutes a fundamental security, which the government is now seriously jeopardizing.

PFAS, which have been mentioned here earlier, are long-lived substances that are harmful to humans and the environment. Several of the Armed Forces' areas are contaminated. Karlsborg airfield is one of the most contaminated sites in Europe and contains levels of PFAS that are millions of times higher than established limit values. The airfield is located right by Vättern. Remediation of the Armed Forces' contaminated areas, including Karlsborg airfield, must therefore take place as soon as possible.

Madam Speaker! In order to rid ourselves of our dependence on fossil fuels, we need to invest massively in renewable energy and electrify large parts of our societies. Miljöpartiet wants to invest heavily in renewable and cheap energy. We therefore want to see strategies and concrete goals for increased production of wind and solar power. Wind power is already today the overwhelmingly cheapest source of energy, which has led to companies queuing to build in Sweden's best wind locations. But the Armed Forces are currently blocking an excessively large amount of renewable energy. I believe that the Armed Forces should instead work to enable more renewable electricity production to take place as part of the civil defense work.

Madam Speaker! The climate transition affects the entire society, and the Armed Forces cannot stand outside this transition. It is both about the defense contributing to reduced emissions and about the defense being able to function in a society that has transitioned. Therefore, planning is required so that the Armed Forces' vehicles can function as part of the total defense in the future's energy and fuel systems, which are based on electricity and renewable fuels.

With and including the NATO membership, we will have more joint exercises with other countries. With the pandemic and the spread of African swine fever in fresh memory, it is therefore important that the defense ensures that infections cannot be spread when moving personnel, vehicles, and equipment between countries. African swine fever alone is a major problem that could have extensive consequences for Swedish agriculture in the event of increased spread. The Armed Forces should therefore be tasked with updating and communicating regulations regarding the disinfection of all-terrain vehicles and equipment moved between countries.

Madam Speaker! When the defense's activities grow, the activities of the Defense Music must also grow. It may seem trivial to talk about music when, due to the security policy situation, we are in a major buildup of the defense. But it is in times of crisis that we perhaps need music the most. Experiences from Ukraine show that both the number of music corps and their activities have increased significantly since the full-scale invasion. They perform music for soldiers who are to fight at the front but also at funerals for those who have fallen. I mean, unlike the committee, that the Riksdag should stand behind what is stated in our reservation regarding the need to develop and strengthen the Defense Music and establish a new professional music corps, which could preferably be stationed in the northern part of Sweden.

Madam Speaker! The investments we make in military defense must be wise and purposeful. The serious security policy situation, that Sweden is to be integrated as a member of Nato and that the Armed Forces shall simultaneously expand its operations with more conscripts and more employed personnel is clearly a challenge. Miljöpartiet stands behind the agreement to allocate 2 percent of GDP to military defense. We strive for a broad agreement in the Defense Preparation Committee.

But I also want to emphasize that civil defense now needs to grow so that we can achieve a total defense in balance. Civil defense is crucial for protecting the population, maintaining important functions, and supporting the military defense in the event of war. Therefore, it is important to mention civil defense even during a debate that concerns military defense and military matters.

Madam Speaker! I stand behind all of the Miljöpartiet's reservations, but in order to win time, I move for approval of only reservations 4 and 7.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Göran Hargestam (SD)

Madam Speaker! I vote in favor of the proposal in the report in its entirety and against all reservations.

Madam Speaker! We are now debating the report FöU4 Military Affairs. I will focus my speech on the Armed Forces' support to the police. Social developments in Sweden and Western Europe in recent decades show a need to review how the cooperation between the Armed Forces and the police can be deepened and broadened.

An argument that still occurs in the debate surrounding the Armed Forces' support to the police is the events in Ådalen in 1931, when the tragic outcome claimed five human lives and left several injured. We can simultaneously state that there are great differences between the present day and 1931 regarding both the Armed Forces and society. The individual soldier is today significantly better trained, and the palette of possibilities that the Armed Forces can offer is broad.

In the investigation SOU 2005:70, it is stated that the tragic events in Ådalen must be seen in their historical context and that we must now, after nearly a hundred years, move forward. I quote from the investigation: "It therefore appears both outdated and unreasonable to today, for principled reasons, invoke the events in Ådalen in 1931 as a basis for not being able to allow the Försvarsmakten to receive qualified information in support of urgent civil activities, e.g., for those that the Polisen is responsible for."

The fight against system-threatening crime and terrorism is highly relevant. The Security Service's threat level is still at level 4, which means a high risk. It is therefore important that the police's capabilities to maintain law and order are strengthened.

Madam Speaker! I can state that a number of important points have been put forward by proposers from both the Sweden Democrats and the opposition. This testifies to a commitment and that there is an eagerness that the defense of Sweden and our democratic order shall be taken most seriously.

With the recent years' developments, including gang crime and riots in Sweden, there is an increased need for the police to be able to be provided with extra resources in extreme situations. There is already a well-functioning cooperation between the military and the police in, for example, transport, person searches, and counter-terrorism that could be developed and which could also encompass more areas.

When it comes to the Armed Forces' support to the police, for example in the event of simultaneous terror attacks at several locations, support could be provided with, for example, command and communication resources, maintenance, medical care, and protected transport.

Military affairs

Being able to have a well-functioning society even in situations when the police are under severe pressure is vital for everyone who wants to live in our country in safe and orderly conditions. Therefore, it is important that the police are given good conditions to maintain law and order in the face of system-threatening crime.

There may also be other extraordinary situations moving in the gray area between war and peace. A foreign power could exploit criminal groups for activities threatening systems and society which, over time, could put great pressure on the Police Authority's resources, such as all bomb and shooting attacks during the year 2023.

Madam Speaker! In several motions submitted by the Sweden Democrats, one can discern a certain concern that the current legislation itself limits the possibilities to effectively counter a large-scale terrorist attack. With adapted legislation that enables the police force to effectively utilize all available resources, their work would be simplified and provide greater freedom of action.

The current deficiencies that exist are not only something that criminals are aware of, but foreign powers are very well aware of how the deficiencies in Swedish legislation could be exploited to achieve maximum effect at a given moment.

The Sweden Democrats believe that freedom and democracy are worth defending with all available means.

With that I thank you and apologize for exceeding the allotted speaking time.

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(Decisions were made under § 11.)

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