Säpo wants to see stricter security checks when people with dual citizenship and other connections abroad apply for security-classified positions, for example in the police. The government is now appointing an inquiry into the matter.
At a press conference, Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer and Charlotte von Essen, head of the Security Police, present the news of a stricter security check.
– As regards the threat to the internal security of the country, it consists of three parts. The gross organized crime, an increased terrorist threat against Sweden and the threat that comes from various state actors. They are mainly Russia, China and Iran, says Gunnar Strömmer.
– Developments in the outside world mean that the security situation in Sweden has deteriorated. The threat from a foreign power is high in Sweden, says Charlotte von Essen and continues:
– The threat actors are prepared to go to great lengths to achieve their goals both against society and individuals. We need to meet these with great resilience.
Enhanced security checks
The security police came to the previous government with a statement that the requirements for the documentation during security checks must be tightened. This as the activities threatening security have become broader and more complex. A homestead that was remitted by the previous government.
– We have received indications from the operators who carry out security checks that there is a lack of clarity, says Charlotte von Essen.
She explains that the process of enhanced security checks means protecting the most protectable in society in order to strengthen the country’s security. It is Säpo that has requested that it be made clearer that a foreign citizenship or other connection to a foreign country must be taken into account during a security check.
– A security check is carried out on an ongoing basis, not only when hiring, but when you are active. A vulnerability can be a person’s connection to another country, and is fundamental in the security assessment, says Charlotte von Essen.
“Sweden is in a more vulnerable position”
She clarifies that this is important for security operations where those who work cannot pose a safety risk. Against this background, the government has decided to take the issues further in an investigation into three issues.
The investigation must review the process for safety tests. It includes what must be included in a security assessment and what requirements must be set. Whether it should be possible to appeal a security decision and what additional possibilities there should be to suspend a government employee who can no longer be approved during the security review.
– If you are denied access to a position, or have a but during a later review, that decision must be able to be reviewed. In order to be able to suspend a government employee, legal support is required to achieve this. There are question marks as to whether it exists today and whether it is clearly developed, says Gunnar Strömmer and continues:
– In summary, we take care of the important home address that has come in from the security police as Sweden is in a more vulnerable situation.
The investigation must report the conclusions in one year, on 15 August 2024.