Sweden should spend more on defense and increase the number of conscripts, lawmakers recommend
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Sweden should increase its military budget by nearly 54 billion kronor ($5 billion) until 2030 to strengthen its air defenses and beef up the number of conscripts, a Swedish parliamentary committee recommended Friday.
The Scandinavian country joined the NATO alliance in March, moving away from a decades-long policy of neutrality in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The report by the Defense Committee which is made up of representatives of the eight political parties sitting in the Swedish parliament, said that NATO membership and the serious security situation require higher ambitions. “An armed attack against Sweden or our allies cannot be ruled out,” the commission said in its report entitled “Strong defense capability, Sweden as an ally.”
Sweden’s air defense must also be expanded to meet threats from unmanned flying craft, more hunting and cruise missiles must be purchased and the navy should receive more personnel, according to the nearly 300-page report which also suggested that the number of conscripts should gradually be increased to 12,000 in 2032. Presently there are about 8,000 conscripts in Sweden.
Related articles
No more cute snaps of Mt Fuji. A screen is up in a Japanese town to prevent tourist crowds
TOKYO (AP) — Sorry, the screen is now up — no more snapping cute photos of Mount Fuji from a popular2024-05-22South China theater festival to showcase outstanding classics
A total of 39 plays will be performed as part of a special event featuring outstanding Chinese stage2024-05-22South China theater festival to showcase outstanding classics
A total of 39 plays will be performed as part of a special event featuring outstanding Chinese stage2024-05-22Israel accused of deadly strike on Iranian consulate in Syria
At least five people, including a senior Iranian commander, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the2024-05-22Seoul AI summit opens with companies including Google, Meta, OpenAI pledging to develop AI safely
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The world’s leading artificial intelligence companies pledged at the start2024-05-2216 black bear cubs rescued in Lao capital
Lao authorities rescued 16 black bear cubs in a building here and handed them over to a bear conserv2024-05-22
atest comment