Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin has said that ongoing peace is not guaranteed in Sweden.
Addressing annual Civil Defence conference, Folk och Försvars, which was held at Sälen ski resort on the 7th of January, the minister said that Swedes should not let over 200 years of peace lull them into a false sence of security.
“For a nation for whom peace has been a pleasant companion for almost 210 years, the idea that it is an immovable constant is conveniently close at hand. But taking comfort in this conclusion has become more dangerous than it has been for a very long time. Many have said it before me, but let me do so in an official capacity, more plainly and with naked clarity:”
“There could be war in Sweden.” he said.
While not pointing to any imminent threat of an outbreak of war, Bohlin said he was “looking to open a door” that is “frequently blocked and cluttered up with the demands and challenges of everyday life”
He continued saying that many Swedes may have kept this ‘door’ closed their whole lives but that in the event of an outbreak of war would lead them to ask themselves “who are you if war comes?”
Referencing Ukraine’s “all out resistance” against Russia’s “full-scale invasion” he emphasised the importance of “situational awareness” saying, “Awareness among individual citizens, employees, entrepreneurs and decision-makers in public administration.” and that this “must be translated into practical action.”
“Everyone has to understand that in the situation we find ourselves in, time may be our most precious non-renewable resource. If there is one thing that keeps me awake at night, it is the feeling that things are moving too slowly.” he said.
He continued saying that nobody “has a mandate to stand at ease waiting for others” but that everyone has “a mandate to plan, practise and take measures to increase resilience in their areas of responsibility. Failure to act is not a permitted modus operandi.”
“If you haven’t started, you are behind – if you don’t know how, you can either ask someone who has started, or get answers from the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. It’s as simple as that.” he said.
Drawing towards the conclusion of his speech he warned that the world was facing “a security outlook with greater risks than at any time since the end of the Second World War.”
He said Sweden stood with Ukraine, with its allies, and with the rules-based international order, and it did so “in word and deed as an arsenal of democracy.”
“All of this will demand more of us than before, and this begins with the realisation that defending Sweden is a matter for all of us.” he said.