Finnish FM rejects speculation on Swedish NATO membership plans

Finland’s Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja has rejected speculation by the head of Parliament’s Defence Committee that Sweden may seek NATO membership following elections in that country next year.

A recent Yle poll showed that the majority of Finns are not in favour of NATO membership for Finland, even if neighbouring Sweden opts to join the alliance. The poll indicated that in fact, opposition to NATO membership would even rise here, if Sweden became a member.

According to Foreign Minister, it is an issue not worth worrying about. Finland, he said, would know if Sweden were seriously making such a move.

“We established a very clear principle over a decade ago that we will not hand each other surprises in defence policy issues, rather we discuss matters together. Thereafter, we both make our own decisions. These are most often the same,” Foreign Minister Tuomioja told Yle.

In a Yle TV discussion on Saturday, the chairman of Parliament’s Defence Committee, Finns Party MP Jussi Niinistö, speculated that Sweden may apply for NATO membership following elections next year and that this would change the security policy atmosphere in Finland.

“No matter what the outcome of the elections, I don’t believe that Sweden will apply for membership,” responded Tuomioja when asked for his view.

Tuomioja sees the NATO debate in Sweden as a political ploy, and pointed out that polls are being presented in such a way as to provide fodder for NATO membership backers.

“When it was reported that 34 percent of the Swedes support NATO membership, I looked up the news and there was not even a mention that over 50 percent oppose it,” Tuomioja pointed out.