Top security actors, including Swedish Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin and the country’s Commander-in-Chief, Micael Bydén, agree that Sweden could soon be facing a war and called for increased resilience, including among the civilian population.
As Sweden is expected to join NATO in 2024 and the broader context of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Sweden’s Civil Defence Minister, Carl-Oskar Bohlin, urged his fellow citizens to prepare for war at the Folk och Försvar conference in Sälen.
Bohlin expressed concern that the modernisation of the Swedish civil defence system was not happening fast enough and urged everyone, from managers and local councillors to private citizens, to take action.
“Many have said it before me, but let me say it with the force of my office – there could be a war in Sweden.”, he said, adding that awareness needs to be translated into practical action.
He also drew parallels with Ukraine, which faced a full-scale Russian invasion with “total resilience”, according to him.
“Such an effort can only be made quickly enough if the vast majority of people are aware of the situation and understand what is at stake,” Bohlin said.
Commenting on Bohlin’s take on Swedish broadcaster SVT on Monday, Swedish Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén said he agreed with what the minister said.
“On an individual level, you have to prepare yourself mentally,” Bydén said, adding, “This is a very serious situation, and the clarity yesterday was unmistakable. It is now about moving from words and understanding to action”.
While Bydén pointed to the significant investments and efforts made in recent years to strengthen Sweden’s security to the point where the country’s defence capability is much stronger, he also said that the sooner Sweden becomes a full member of NATO, the better.
“Hope is not a strategy on which to build plans, but hope must be there. It’s not all doom and gloom,” Bydén added.
“Look at the news from Ukraine and ask yourself the simple questions: If this happens here, am I prepared? What should I do? The more people who have thought, considered and prepared, the stronger our society will be,” he also said.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) is now tasked with helping essential and war-critical authorities and companies to build up their wartime organisation, and the Swedish government also wants to produce an analysis of how to improve the security of the supply of health products.
(Charles Szumski | Euractiv.com)
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