Today in Sweden: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
A visit from Nato's chief, a last bid to save the budget, airport chaos, and record shootings: find out what's going on in Sweden with The Local's roundup.
Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson to host Nato chief at Harpsund
Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson will host Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for talks on Monday at her official residence Harpsund, the government has announced in a press release.
The two will discuss Sweden and Finland's Nato application, the war in Ukraine, and the general security situation. Stoltenberg will also take part in discussions with the government during his visit.
Swedish vocab: överläggningar – discussions
Swedish government launches last bid for backing for pensions compromise
Sweden's government will submit a compromise bid on pensions to the inter-party pensions group, in its last attempt to win backing for its spring budget.
The new budget will see the so-called guarantee pension raised by 1000 kronor, a little less than under the government's initial proposal, but bureaucratically simpler and still within the bounds of the existing pensions system.
"We have not given up hope," said welfare minister Ardalan Shekarabi at a press conference before the meeting of the parliament's pensions group. "We are going to present a new offer. We are in agreement with the Left Party and the Green Party and we have agreed to submit a broad proposal, together with the Centre Party, to the pensions group."
The pensions group, which was set up as part of an agreement across the political divide, aiming to take the politics out of pensions, brings together all the parties in parliament except the Left Party and the Sweden Democrats.
Swedish vocab: blocköverskridande – across the political divide
Stalled Finnish and Swedish Nato bids 'may drag on'
Turkey's blockage of Sweden's and Finland's Nato membership bids may not be resolved in time for the alliance's summit later this month, according to Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg.
He said Nato was “working hard” to resolve “legitimate” issues raised by Turkey. Stoltenberg had previously insisted that the two nations would be welcomed “with open arms,” but Turkey has thrown a spanner in the works and blocked their bids.
Ankara accuses them of providing a safe haven for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), listed as a “terrorist” group by Turkey and its Western allies. “I would like to see this solved as soon as possible,” Stoltenberg said during a joint press conference in Finland with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Sunday.
Swedish vocab: toppmöte - summit
Long queues at Stockholm's Arlanda airport for another weekend
Thousands of passengers were stuck waiting for their planes at Arlanda airport on Sunday morning, with roads to terminal five shut and the Arlanda Express train redirecting passengers to terminals 2 and 4.
"We have at times had extreme crowding at the airport, above all in the morning and around lunchtime," Robert Pletzin, a press spokesperson for Swedavia told TT.
The police have advised passengers to avoid driving to the airport.
Police spokesman Ola Österling said: “Avoid taking the car to Arlanda as much as possible and use public transport instead. It may also be a good idea to go to one of the long-term parking lots and use public transport from there to the terminal, which will mean fewer cars at the terminal.”
Swedavia, the company which runs the airport, has attributed some of the chaos to many travellers arriving far too early before departure and now advises passengers not to come too far in advance.
Swedish vocab: att dirigera om – to redirect
Fatal shootings on track for record high in Sweden
There have been a record number of fatal shootings so far this year in Sweden. Police are concerned this trend is set to continue over the summer months.
From January to May this year, more than 30 people have been shot dead in Sweden. In the same period in previous years, there has been an average of 17 fatal shootings.
There are concerns that the violence will escalate during the summer – which usually sees a rise in shootings in Sweden, as more people head outside.
“In the lighter time of the year, we see an increase in these types of incidents. It is easier to find their victims”, intelligence chief Jens Ahlstrand told newswire TT.
In 2020 and 2021, a record number of fatal shootings were registered in Sweden, when 47 people died from gun shots in each year.
Sweden’s intelligence chiefs say there are several “red” zones across the country, where the risk of new acts of violence is considered high. In the western region, there are currently around seven to eight of these zones.
“Should we have an act of violence in some of these environments, we know that the spiral of revenge and violence will escalate”, said Ahlstrand.
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Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson to host Nato chief at Harpsund
The two will discuss Sweden and Finland's Nato application, the war in Ukraine, and the general security situation. Stoltenberg will also take part in discussions with the government during his visit.
Swedish vocab: överläggningar – discussions
The new budget will see the so-called guarantee pension raised by 1000 kronor, a little less than under the government's initial proposal, but bureaucratically simpler and still within the bounds of the existing pensions system.
"We have not given up hope," said welfare minister Ardalan Shekarabi at a press conference before the meeting of the parliament's pensions group. "We are going to present a new offer. We are in agreement with the Left Party and the Green Party and we have agreed to submit a broad proposal, together with the Centre Party, to the pensions group."
The pensions group, which was set up as part of an agreement across the political divide, aiming to take the politics out of pensions, brings together all the parties in parliament except the Left Party and the Sweden Democrats.
Swedish vocab: blocköverskridande – across the political divide
Stalled Finnish and Swedish Nato bids 'may drag on'
Turkey's blockage of Sweden's and Finland's Nato membership bids may not be resolved in time for the alliance's summit later this month, according to Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg.
He said Nato was “working hard” to resolve “legitimate” issues raised by Turkey. Stoltenberg had previously insisted that the two nations would be welcomed “with open arms,” but Turkey has thrown a spanner in the works and blocked their bids.
Ankara accuses them of providing a safe haven for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), listed as a “terrorist” group by Turkey and its Western allies. “I would like to see this solved as soon as possible,” Stoltenberg said during a joint press conference in Finland with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Sunday.
Swedish vocab: toppmöte - summit
Long queues at Stockholm's Arlanda airport for another weekend
Thousands of passengers were stuck waiting for their planes at Arlanda airport on Sunday morning, with roads to terminal five shut and the Arlanda Express train redirecting passengers to terminals 2 and 4.
"We have at times had extreme crowding at the airport, above all in the morning and around lunchtime," Robert Pletzin, a press spokesperson for Swedavia told TT.
The police have advised passengers to avoid driving to the airport.
Police spokesman Ola Österling said: “Avoid taking the car to Arlanda as much as possible and use public transport instead. It may also be a good idea to go to one of the long-term parking lots and use public transport from there to the terminal, which will mean fewer cars at the terminal.”
Swedavia, the company which runs the airport, has attributed some of the chaos to many travellers arriving far too early before departure and now advises passengers not to come too far in advance.
Swedish vocab: att dirigera om – to redirect
Fatal shootings on track for record high in Sweden
There have been a record number of fatal shootings so far this year in Sweden. Police are concerned this trend is set to continue over the summer months.
From January to May this year, more than 30 people have been shot dead in Sweden. In the same period in previous years, there has been an average of 17 fatal shootings.
There are concerns that the violence will escalate during the summer – which usually sees a rise in shootings in Sweden, as more people head outside.
“In the lighter time of the year, we see an increase in these types of incidents. It is easier to find their victims”, intelligence chief Jens Ahlstrand told newswire TT.
In 2020 and 2021, a record number of fatal shootings were registered in Sweden, when 47 people died from gun shots in each year.
Sweden’s intelligence chiefs say there are several “red” zones across the country, where the risk of new acts of violence is considered high. In the western region, there are currently around seven to eight of these zones.
“Should we have an act of violence in some of these environments, we know that the spiral of revenge and violence will escalate”, said Ahlstrand.
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