Sweden supports the EU Commission’s plan to strengthen Europe’s defense. That message gave Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) in connection with the Riksdag’s EU committee ahead of Thursday’s extra-summit.
Basically, it is about making exceptions to EU debt rules, which means that countries such as Italy, Greece and France with high government debt do not have to relate to the usual debt rules – but can invest in their defense.
– For Sweden, relief on debt rules does not mean much because we have a low government debt and have had balanced finances, says August Danielson.
Increased loan
Of the € 800 billion that the plan entails, 150 shall come from a joint loan that the Commission lends to the Member States.
– 650 billion comes from Member States themselves through increased expenses, preferably 1.5 percent of GDP. In practice, this also means increased mortgages at national level, says Danielson.
It is not decided what the money will go to, but Danielson says that they will be used to increase militarily but also to invest in areas that are too costly for individual countries:
– Air defense, artillery systems and various forms of drones to which potential abilities could be used for.