Today in Sweden: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
SAS resumes flights after grounding 18 aircraft, former head of Swedish security service 'ashamed and furious' over gang crime, and hundreds turn out to protest against deportation of nine-year-old girl. Here's the latest news.
SAS resumes flights after grounding 18 aircraft
Several SAS departures were cancelled on Saturday and Sunday, including at least seven departures from Arlanda and five from Copenhagen, after the airline grounded 18 of its A320neos for inspections of a component known as the pressure regulator transmitter.
It's understood the inspection was triggered by a routine check, and a SAS spokesperson stressed that passengers were never at risk.
According to Norwegian broadcaster TV2, a total of 49 flights were cancelled on Saturday.
Eleven of the grounded aircraft were ready to start flying again on Sunday and flights resumed in Denmark and Norway.
At the time of publication, there was no news about flights on Monday, but no morning flights from Arlanda were listed as cancelled.
Swedish vocabulary: cancelled – inställd
'I am ashamed and furious': Former head of Sweden's security service
Everyone is to blame for letting criminal gangs grow stronger in Sweden, Klas Friberg, the former head of the country's security service (Säpo), has told western Swedish newspaper GP in a new interview.
"I am ashamed and furious that we didn't do more for those children we knew were heading into social exclusion," he said.
Friberg led Säpo between 2018 and 2021. In the interview, he criticises Swedish politicians for making populist, short-term decisions, and says he finds it "painful" to listen to political parties blaming each other. He argues that long-term, preventive work is needed, involving actors from all parts of society – maternity care, schools, social services and police – in a "vision zero" for new gang recruitment.
"If that happens, I am certain this can be turned around. But everyone has to help out. Being a taxpayer is not enough," he said.
Swedish vocabulary: I am ashamed – jag skäms
Demonstration against deportation of Lisa, 9
Several hundred people turned out in Lidköping, north-east of Gothenburg, on Sunday to protest against the deportation of Lisa, a nine-year-old girl, to Albania, where she risks ending up in an orphanage.
Lisa was born in Sweden and has lived here for most of her life. Her mother is from Albania but lives in another European country, and Lisa lives with Swedish couple Paulina and Hans Backström in Järpås, near Lidköping, a couple she has known since she was one year old.
But a decision by the Migration Agency to deport Lisa to Albania – alone – has stirred up emotions in Lidköping and Sweden.
"We would understand the decision more if Lisa were to be deported together with her mother or if the mother was in Albania. But Lisa will now be deported to a country where she doesn't know the language or have any close family," Paulina Backström told broadcaster SVT.
"Thank you to everyone who wants to let me stay with my mum and dad. Sweden is my country. I have my friends and family here," Lisa told the demonstration on Sunday.
Swedish vocabulary: an orphanage – ett barnhem
Are you celebrating Waffle Day today?
March 25th marks Våffeldagen in Sweden, where people celebrate by enjoying a waffle in all its crispy glory.
The interesting thing about Waffle Day is how the tradition came about. It wasn't always a dessert-themed day, previously having a holier but less delicious meaning.
Instead of Våffeldagen, the day was known as "Vårfrudagen" (Our Lady Day), a celebration of the day the angel Gabriel visited Mary to tell her she would give birth to Jesus, according to Catholic doctrine.
The Swedish name Vårfrudagen sounds so similar to Våffeldagen (especially if you have a mouthful of waffle) that Swedes went with it.
In Sweden, the waffles are often enjoyed with cream and jam, with berries, or sometimes plain with no topping at all. Here's a recipe.
Swedish vocabulary: cream and jam – grädde och sylt
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SAS resumes flights after grounding 18 aircraft
Several SAS departures were cancelled on Saturday and Sunday, including at least seven departures from Arlanda and five from Copenhagen, after the airline grounded 18 of its A320neos for inspections of a component known as the pressure regulator transmitter.
It's understood the inspection was triggered by a routine check, and a SAS spokesperson stressed that passengers were never at risk.
According to Norwegian broadcaster TV2, a total of 49 flights were cancelled on Saturday.
Eleven of the grounded aircraft were ready to start flying again on Sunday and flights resumed in Denmark and Norway.
At the time of publication, there was no news about flights on Monday, but no morning flights from Arlanda were listed as cancelled.
Swedish vocabulary: cancelled – inställd
'I am ashamed and furious': Former head of Sweden's security service
Everyone is to blame for letting criminal gangs grow stronger in Sweden, Klas Friberg, the former head of the country's security service (Säpo), has told western Swedish newspaper GP in a new interview.
"I am ashamed and furious that we didn't do more for those children we knew were heading into social exclusion," he said.
Friberg led Säpo between 2018 and 2021. In the interview, he criticises Swedish politicians for making populist, short-term decisions, and says he finds it "painful" to listen to political parties blaming each other. He argues that long-term, preventive work is needed, involving actors from all parts of society – maternity care, schools, social services and police – in a "vision zero" for new gang recruitment.
"If that happens, I am certain this can be turned around. But everyone has to help out. Being a taxpayer is not enough," he said.
Swedish vocabulary: I am ashamed – jag skäms
Demonstration against deportation of Lisa, 9
Several hundred people turned out in Lidköping, north-east of Gothenburg, on Sunday to protest against the deportation of Lisa, a nine-year-old girl, to Albania, where she risks ending up in an orphanage.
Lisa was born in Sweden and has lived here for most of her life. Her mother is from Albania but lives in another European country, and Lisa lives with Swedish couple Paulina and Hans Backström in Järpås, near Lidköping, a couple she has known since she was one year old.
But a decision by the Migration Agency to deport Lisa to Albania – alone – has stirred up emotions in Lidköping and Sweden.
"We would understand the decision more if Lisa were to be deported together with her mother or if the mother was in Albania. But Lisa will now be deported to a country where she doesn't know the language or have any close family," Paulina Backström told broadcaster SVT.
"Thank you to everyone who wants to let me stay with my mum and dad. Sweden is my country. I have my friends and family here," Lisa told the demonstration on Sunday.
Swedish vocabulary: an orphanage – ett barnhem
Are you celebrating Waffle Day today?
March 25th marks Våffeldagen in Sweden, where people celebrate by enjoying a waffle in all its crispy glory.
The interesting thing about Waffle Day is how the tradition came about. It wasn't always a dessert-themed day, previously having a holier but less delicious meaning.
Instead of Våffeldagen, the day was known as "Vårfrudagen" (Our Lady Day), a celebration of the day the angel Gabriel visited Mary to tell her she would give birth to Jesus, according to Catholic doctrine.
The Swedish name Vårfrudagen sounds so similar to Våffeldagen (especially if you have a mouthful of waffle) that Swedes went with it.
In Sweden, the waffles are often enjoyed with cream and jam, with berries, or sometimes plain with no topping at all. Here's a recipe.
Swedish vocabulary: cream and jam – grädde och sylt
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