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Sweden ahead of our neighbours: Borg

Published: 29 Aug 09 10:33 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/21764/20090829/

The Swedish economy can recover and reach surplus and a balanced budget before other European countries, according to Swedish Minister of Finance Anders Borg.

As tax revenues are higher than anticipated at the same time spending is lower than expected there is an opportunity to meet the crisis head on.

“Then we can ensure our ability to address the crisis and at the same time regain balance and surplus before almost all our our European neighbours,” Borg said in his speech to delegates at the Moderate party conference in Västerås on Friday.

The most important thing to do is stop the drop in employment, which otherwise might lead to hundreds of thousands of people being out of the labour market for good, Borg said.

“The economic crisis will pass but it will take us a long time to get back on track and reverse the effects of the crisis,” Borg said.

According to Borg, Sweden is nevertheless well positioned for a quicker recovery due to the policies of the government. “Well ahead of the UK, US or Spain. Well ahead of other countries that listened to voices demanding more spending, more interventions and more emergency measures,” Borg said.

He reiterated that the government is not planning on assuming ownership of Saab.

Echoing the words of Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Borg described Sweden as a role model for other countries.

“Our foremost task in the coming years might be to pave the way for Sweden to become a role model. People in Sweden should experience that they are living in a freer countries where individuals have great freedom to explore new paths and shape their own lives. Sweden should be open and tolerant,” Borg said.

“But we will never achieve social cohesion and good welfare for everybody without full employment. That is the mandate we are seeking from the voters for 2010,” he said.

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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12:44 August 29, 2009 by Leprehcaun
Well an economy that is in much worse shape doesn't need as much work to get fixed as economies that were barely affected. Still the unemployment in Norway and Denmark are 2.9% and 3.1%, they are doing much better even if we are going to get a better recovery than them. It's impossible to compare.. But then again.. is he talking about our neighbors like the headline says or his he talking about the US and the UK?

Oh, and "role model"?! Håll käften! Well he was one of my favorite politicians for.. eh.. 5 days? 4? Impressive..
18:24 August 29, 2009 by Jan M
Proof that a juvenile haircut = a juvenile attitude. Full employment? Unemployment's risen from around 5.8% to greater than 9. What's the full employment strategy? Ship them to Norway perhaps, a country which by the sound of things should be following Sweden's lead (I don't think)?
21:13 August 29, 2009 by DaveN
Wow, only 3 weeks ago the IMF said "Sweden appears set to stay in recession for longer than most other countries".

Now the government are saying this won't be the case. So are they both right, both wrong, or do neither know their arses from their elbows.
23:29 August 29, 2009 by Jan M
I think it depends which countries are the subject of comparison. The US, UK and Spain are clearly doing very badly owing to significant dependence on debt, property and consumer spending to maintain economic 'strength'. Their economic models however were never close to Sweden's and so although Sweden looks good by comparison the more reasonable comparison would be with countries with a strong manufacturing and export base. By these criteria this would mean Germany, Japan and to some degree France. They've all posted positive GDP for the past quarter (+0.3%) and seem to be recovering. Anders has therefore avoided referring to them for some very obvious reasons. I am pretty sure the Moderates have no coherent plan that will reliably bolster the economy and employment and hence they've done very little other than sit and wait for other countries to rebound. The full employment rhetoric is a complete joke.
12:26 September 1, 2009 by Plowbridge
All the political parties here in Sweden belong in la-la land. No policies and no new ideas. The political rhetoric that replaces tangible action would get most of them thrown out of town in most other other countries. Here they only get away with it because of the Swedish psyche of believing what they are told without questioning anything and because the opposition parties are equally clueless and only interested in self-promotion.

Recession wise Sweden is a way back from many other countries at the moment despite Borg's ignorant and disrespectful words to the contrary. There remain industries that face big job losses because of their burying heads in sand philosophy and the inability of the government to understand what needed to be done many months ago. Action was needed and none was forthcoming. Of course they are happy that tax revenues remain high but in a recession this is an arrogant abuse of the people by allowing basic living and consumption costs to rocket despite there being more competitive markets that should have seen a reduction in prices.

All in all this government is a embarrassing model for incompetence and worse still is that they are allowed to get away with it.
19:03 September 1, 2009 by jack sprat
""That is the mandate we are seeking from the voters for 2010,"" he said.

Obviously the election speeches have begun early.

Definitely needs to be taken with a huge pinch of salt!
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