Published: Less than 20 min ago
Neither the Left nor the Green Party were on the invitation list when the prime minister invited the party leaders to a meeting with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.
Something that both parties react strongly to – and demand changes from Ulf Kristersson.
– The risk is that relevant views and perspectives from voters will not come forward, says Håkan Svenneling, foreign policy spokesperson for the Left Party.
When NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visits Stockholm next week, all party leaders have been invited to a draw on the work on NATO accession, except for the leaders from the NATO-critical parties.
The Left Party and the Green Party are kept out
– I think it is sad that Kristersson is making this a party political game and is creating division between the parties in the NATO process. In the past, I have experienced that we have had an order all the way where everyone has been involved without having to think alike, says the Left Party’s Håkan Svenneling.
Millions of Swedes
He believes that the prime minister thereby closes the door to transparency for the millions of Swedes who do not actively support Swedish NATO membership.
– It is very clear that the opposition has had justified criticism of the government and their handling of the NATO process, and many of the concerns we have pointed out have come true. There had been great value in the fact that several perspectives had been able to emerge, says Håkan Svenneling.
The Left Party’s foreign policy spokesperson questions Jens Stoltenberg’s handling of the issue, including the trilateral agreement between Sweden, Finland and Turkey that would ensure a smooth and fast process. He also wonders if NATO can still insist that it has a principle of “open doors” into the military alliance.
– I also think that Kristersson as prime minister needs to take responsibility for us continuing to have an open process regarding the Swedish security situation, where as recently as Thursday we jointly discussed the NATO process between the parties. I think it is a clear violation of the order we previously had.
Why do you think your parties were not invited?
– No idea, I guess it’s easier to have a meeting where everyone agrees with each other, than where there are those who have a different perspective.
“Deeply problematic”
The Green Party is also critical of being left out of the meeting with Stoltenberg.
“This is the biggest defense policy change in Sweden in modern times. It is remarkable and regrettable that the government now chooses not to invite all parties to the meeting with Stoltenberg,” MP spokesperson Märta Stenevi writes in a comment.
She continues:
“Sweden is abandoning non-alignment for the first time in 200 years. Yet the Prime Minister chooses to withhold from us who represent NATO-critical voters information and the opportunity to ask questions. It is deeply problematic in a process that will affect all future governments for the foreseeable future.”
Aftonbladet has unsuccessfully sought Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson for a comment.