STOCKHOLM, November 15. /TASS/. The Swedish government needs to cease hailing anti-Russian sanctions, the Russian embassy in Sweden said via Facebook on Thursday following the latest speech of Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in the parliament and his posts on social networks.
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"We believe that the Swedish leadership should have long since abandoned its praise for anti-Russian sanctions and should contemplate the idea of lifting them," the comment reads.
"The EU must also contribute to a safer world outside the Union," Lofven said presenting the first Statement of Government EU Policy in the Swedish Riksdag on Wednesday. "When anti-democratic forces flex their muscles, the EU is needed as a strong voice for peace, democracy and human rights." The prime minister noted, "There are some good examples, such as the sanctions against Russia, the Eastern Partnership and the measures against pirates around the Horn of Africa."
"We carefully studied the contents of the first Statement of the Swedish Government EU Policy revealed by Prime Minister Stefan Lofven during debates of faction leaders in Riksdag. We are concerned by the fact that the Swedish prime minister, enlisting achievements of the EU in the last few years, labeled introduction of the sanctions against Russia as one of the 'good examples' of its foreign policy 'victories'," the Russian embassy said. "Firstly, we remind the honorable Swedish prime minister that international sanctions can only be imposed on any state in accordance with UN Security Council decisions. Secondly, the whole European Union is unlikely to cheer and welcome Lofven’s statement as one since many of its member states have already realized that the anti-Russian sanctions had become a double-edged sword that hurts both Russia and the West."
Russian diplomats recall that the Economic Policy journal published an article in October entitled Friendly Fire: the Trade Impact of the Russia Sanctions and Counter-Sanctions that includes a research that shows Western countries to be monthly losing at least $1.8 billion because of sanctions, with Europe bearing 92% of these losses. The embassy stressed that business primarily falls victim to this policy, "including Swedish companies that are traditionally interested in cooperation with Russia."
Russian factor in Swedish politics
"We represent Swedish interests and a cohesive EU. What policies would a right-wing conservative government with Sweden Democrats [nationalist party — TASS] pursue? They have a dubious stance on Russian interests and hesitant attitude towards the whole cooperation with the EU. Such a policy is not in Sweden's interest," the prime minister also wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday.
"Moreover, Sweden should stop exploiting the Russian factor in the Swedish domestic political struggle, threatening voters — as Mr. Lofven did on his Facebook page — with a rise to power in Sweden of a party with allegedly 'a dubious stance on Russia'. It is unclear what the Swedish prime minister means as he is supposed to build bridges with his great neighbor and not stoke the wrong fire of resentment to Moscow’s policies," the embassy commented.