All parties in the Riksdag support a historic rearmament of the Swedish defense, as SVT Nyheter was able to report on Wednesday.
– It is good for Sweden that we can present a broad and long-term agreement on very strong investments in defense in the coming years, says Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M) at a press conference today.
In total, this involves an additional 300 billion kronor in investments in military and civilian defense.
With this agreement, Swedish politicians believe that Sweden is meeting the requirements that NATO is expected to decide on at the summit in Haag next week, that member countries should spend at least 3.5 percent of GDP on military defense and 1.5 percent of GDP on civilian defense.
In addition to the defense decision made by the Riksdag last fall, the agreement involves a loan-financed rearmament of military defense of 250 billion SEK in the coming years.
This money will go towards, among other things, expanded ground forces, the purchase of more air defense and the acquisition of ammunition. However, which units will be expanded and whether new ones will be set up is not specified. Further talks will be held here.
50 billion for civil defense
Alongside the investments in military defense, a targeted investment is also being made in civil defense and civil preparedness.
This comprises 50 billion kronor and will also be financed by loans. This sum includes investments in infrastructure, some healthcare and emergency stocks. The aim is to expand emergency stocks of food, medicine and fuel.
The investment means that the government will temporarily deviate from the balance target for public spending.
– The deviation is temporary but the spending is permanent. Therefore, we will work forward to find financing in various parts and step by step phase it in so that we return to balance, says Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M).
No agreement on financing
Although the parties agree to allow the national debt to increase, opinions differ on how it should be financed in the longer term.
The Tidö parties believe that the cost of these loans and the gradual transition to appropriation financing can be met through growth and the regular budget work. However, the Social Democrats have demanded a special contingency tax to cover parts of the financing.
With this agreement, the parties believe that Sweden will be able to meet the new NATO goals. At the same time, there are several question marks in some other NATO countries. Several of them have not yet even reached the current target of two percent of GDP being spent on defense spending.
