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The Foreign Ministry did not issue any warning to football supporters about risks ahead of Sweden’s EC match in Brussels.
– The advice from the Foreign Ministry is that you should always follow what the local authorities say, says Foreign Minister Tobias Billström.
Billström is on a trip in Algeria, but after the supposed terrorist act against Swedes in Brussels, will interrupt it to go home to Sweden.
Before the crime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no special appeals to Swedes abroad.
– The advice from the Foreign Ministry is that you should always follow what the local authorities say. In the situation with Belgium, you have to look at the threat picture, you always have to do that when you go out into the world as a Swede and it is something that also depends on the individual, says Tobias Billström (M).
Deficiencies in communication
The Koran burnings in Sweden have contributed to Swedes becoming more prioritized targets for extremists.
TT: Could the Foreign Ministry have given clearer instructions to Swedes to keep a low profile?
– No, and I also don’t think it would be a reasonable call, but you should always listen first and foremost to what the Foreign Ministry comes up with for travel advice, and then you should also form an idea of what the situation looks like locally in the town or in the country, says Billström.
TT: How should one behave abroad, dare one speak Swedish and wear Swedish symbols?
– I understand that many are worried, but we must not start adapting our lives because then the terrorists will get what they want, says Billström.
– Then, of course, you must always be vigilant and adapt your routines. But there is a big difference between doing that and adjusting our lives.
He emphasizes that it is important to contact the police if you see something out of the ordinary.
Took 17 hours
After the crime, there have also been signs of shortcomings in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ communication to Swedes on the ground.
At midnight, Tobias Billström tweeted that an SMS from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs went out to “all Swedish subscriptions in Belgium” with calls for vigilance and to follow instructions from the Belgian authorities.
But several Swedish reporters on site never received any SMS. The explanation that Billström gives is that the SMS only went to those who signed up on the so-called Swedish list for Belgium.
“We urge all Swedes to sign up for the Swedish list, download the Resklar app and activate push notifications for Belgium there,” says Billström in a written comment.
It then took until Tuesday lunchtime before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued its call to all Swedes abroad to be more careful. It was 17 hours after the shooting.
In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ app Resklar, it still says on Tuesday afternoon about “information in the media that two Swedish citizens have been shot”, followed by calls to be vigilant and to contact relatives.
It has then been confirmed several hours ago that the two Swedes have died.