There could be war in Sweden and all Swedes must act to strengthen the country’s resilience. This was confirmed by Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M) during the People and Defense National Conference on Sunday.
The Minister of Civil Defense said the situation is urgent and raised his concern that the rearming of the civil defense is not going fast enough.
Sweden’s Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén shares Bohlin’s picture.
– It is a very serious situation and the clarity yesterday was unmistakable. It is now about moving from words and understanding to action, says Bydén in Nyhetsmorgon.
Defense stronger today
In recent years, much has been done to strengthen Sweden’s security in the form of large investments in defence. This means that our capacity today is significantly higher than a couple of years ago, says the commander-in-chief. At the same time, Sweden is – still – on the threshold of NATO. Bydén believes that the sooner we become full members the better.
For those who are worried, Sweden’s commander-in-chief has a clear message: get ready – and don’t lose hope.
– Hope is not a strategy to build plans on, but hope must be there. It is not pitch black, he says and continues:
– But we have to understand how serious this situation really is and that, down to the individual level, you mentally prepare. Watch the news coverage from Ukraine and ask yourself the simple questions: If this is happening here, do I have things in place? What should I do? The more people who have thought, pondered and prepared, the stronger our society is.
ÖB: Everyone has a responsibility
In the event of war, a “robust civil society” is more important than ever, says Bydén. In concrete terms, what works in peace must also work in case of invasion by a foreign power.
– The more people who go to their normal workplace in a very difficult situation, the better society will function. If you are not stationed at war, you have a job to go to, says Micael Bydén.
The Commander-in-Chief mentions childcare, healthcare and care for the elderly as examples of important social functions.
– That all this works, that is the robust society. To have citizens who now understand that this is serious and that it can get worse for us too.