Mostly on the fact that Finland will join NATO before Sweden. Magdalena Andersson places the blame on Turkey and Hungary, but is also critical of how the government has acted. – It is possible that Turkey got the impression that they could get more out of Sweden in addition to the agreement, she says. On 16 May last year, Magdalena Andersson’s (S) government made a decision on Sweden’s NATO application. The idea was that Sweden and Finland would jointly join NATO hand in hand. But last Friday the news came that Turkey and Hungary say yes to Finland’s application, but Sweden has to wait. – It is clear that it is a major setback for the government. It is not good for Sweden. But it is also not good for NATO, says Magdalena Andersson. Andersson places the blame on Turkish President Erdogan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. She believes that it is they who divide Sweden and Finland and make it more difficult for the other countries in NATO to be able to use the opportunity that our countries’ membership provides for NATO as an organization. – We now meet all the criteria to join NATO. We work according to the agreement we made. So it is thus time for both Turkey and Hungary to ratify us. Does not regret the application She does not think that Finland has let Sweden down in this situation, but understands that they are taking the opportunity to join NATO with the border with Russia. Magdalena Andersson also says that she does not regret the decision to apply for membership in NATO. – I am absolutely sure that it was the right decision. We are significantly safer than before we submitted the application. – Then not much has happened since I left. It is incredibly important that the government now steps forward, shows leadership and intensifies diplomatic contacts, she continues. Do you think the government has done a bad job? – It is not the time to go on and argue and fight, but I have already been critical of some things that the new government did. I think you could have had a little more ice in your stomach when you distanced yourself from Kurdish organizations and were also so clear that Turkey is a democracy. It is possible that it gave Turkey the impression that they could get more out of Sweden in addition to the agreement we concluded. She says that she has a close collaboration with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) and offers her help and that together they try to act constructively. – The party that has perhaps been the least constructive in this process is actually the Sweden Democrats who, during this spring, have put their party selfish interests ahead of the interests of the country, says Magdalena Andersson. See Magdalena Andersson’s critique in the player above.
t4-general
Andersson’s criticism of the NATO process: “Could have had a little more ice in the stomach”
