The EU’s crisis management mechanism IPCR was last activated when Russia attacked Ukraine on a broad front. It was also activated during the pandemic.
On Wednesday it was activated again.
The same day was held a meeting with the party leaders of the Riksdag and the National Security Council. It was followed by a press conference, and minutes after Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson left the stage, he learned that the EU’s presidency, Belgium, had restarted the crisis mechanism.
– It is incredibly good that this collaboration takes place on a common European level. The EU does not have its own system for this, it is based on all countries being as transparent as possible, says Ulf Kristersson to DN.
– It is not obvious in the intelligence system that you always share information, when you yourself are vulnerable. But if the EU is to be able to protect the election, the countries that perceive that things are happening must tell what they know, says the prime minister.
He says that it will strengthen confidence in democracy in the EU if the member states manage to protect themselves from attacks.
– Sweden is not a dedicated target right now, but we can become one incredibly quickly. If you find the vulnerability, things happen, and they will quickly shift their focus, says Ulf Kristersson.
At the press conference before the interview, Director General Magnus Hjort at the Agency for Psychological Defense said that Russia is the main actor behind disinformation and influence campaigns.
He said that Russia has built an infrastructure on the web, with clones, bots and internet sites, which can be activated in the EU election campaign.
The biggest risk that Sweden’s national security advisor Henrik Landerholm sees in the Swedish part of the EU election campaign is that someone hacks and leaks recordings or information late in the election campaign, against which those exposed do not have time to defend themselves.
Tags: activates crisis mechanism disinformation ahead elections
