Negotiations in the EU on more firefighters in the Nordic countries

When the forest burns throughout the country, it is increasingly appealing to firefighters in Sweden. But negotiations on better capabilities already exist in the EU, according to Morgan Johansson (S), Minister of Justice and the Interior, and new forces should be placed in the Nordic region.

Morgan Johansson states that the fires are very serious. It burns in about 70 places in the woods around Sweden, and fires are difficult to extinguish in the drought.

Italy's firefighters are en route, and Sweden has also lent 10 water bombs to Norway. But the opposition, with Beatrice Ask (M) and Daniel Bäckström (C), is calling for its own resources – they want Sweden to buy its own firefighting and the government take responsibility for the situation.

Investment in the Nordic countries

– We need to strengthen our capacity in Europe. The risk of extreme situations increases more and more. Until now, we are calling for firefighting, for example, in Italy. But negotiations are underway to get more planes in Europe. Still, nothing is clear – and future firefighters in the North will not bite the fires that are raging right now.

In addition, firefighters and helicopters are in all honor, they are It is only a complement to the fire department that must first be found in any the country, he says.

– We need a stronger fire department on the ground. I received a report a month ago, where it is proposed that civil defense be strengthened.

– We have also allocated 400 million crowns to strengthen civil defense this year. Both Beatrice Ask and Daniel Bäckström point out the vulnerability of the fire department and the precarious situation of the firefighters on a part-time basis. They both want measures for better conditions for part-time workers and relief services, and demand that the government act, even though the public service is primarily a municipal responsibility.

However, Morgan Johansson has the same point of view. emergency services. He points out that the survey also proposes a series of measures on this subject, which the Social Democrats and the government support.

– I think you should refrain from any political argument in such a situation. Now we need to focus on what is happening now, he says, promising that he puts you behind the suggestions for additional resources offered.

The assessment is needed later

There is also a reason to go back this summer Later, when the rain came and the fires go out, he thinks …

– I see we have to evaluate it later. We have an extreme weather situation, but we need to get high for this kind of event in the future. This is a part of the civil defense that should be used.

Drought can not be directly related to climate change, but it is this type of extreme weather that we can expect, he says.

that Sweden and the EU are doing everything we can to limit the effects of the greenhouse effect. Maybe it also means that the climate issue is largely taken into account in the political agenda, and that people take seriously what is happening. But we have seen a backslash for this, including through the shares of the United States, "said Morgan Johansson.

Fix: In an earlier version there was a mistake regarding money to strengthen the defense The law is that the money has already been set for this year's budget.