Swedish opposition MPs filed a burst of hard-hitting parliamentary questions this week, exposing critical gaps in the country's border security against narcotics smuggling and demanding government accountability on alleged diplomatic connections to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Port Security Under Scrutiny
Two Social Democrat MPs—Niklas Karlsson and Anna Wallentheim—directed pointed questions at Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) about Sweden's alarming lack of container-scanning capability. According to SVT reporting cited in the parliamentary filings, no Swedish port currently has permanent equipment to X-ray containers in the hunt for narcotics, even as authorities warn of a growing cocaine wave hitting Europe's shores.
Question 2025/26:520 highlights the shortage of scanner equipment and rising risks for narcotics smuggling, while Question 2025/26:519 focuses specifically on increased smuggling via container traffic. Criminal networks, the filings note, are continuously developing new methods to evade detection.
Epstein Connection Raises Questions
In a separate but equally explosive development, Sweden Democrats' Björn Söder filed Question 2025/26:516 addressed to Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M), demanding answers about a senior Swedish diplomat's connections to Jeffrey Epstein revealed in the so-called "Epstein files."
The question identifies a diplomat currently serving as ministerial counsellor at Sweden's Permanent Mission in Geneva, with several high-profile diplomatic postings behind them. The filing demands clarity on what the government knew and what actions will be taken.
Iran, Migration and Social Policy
Other significant questions filed this week include an inquiry from SD's Markus Wiechel (Question 2025/26:518) on support for freedom of expression actors in Iran, following the government's allocation of SEK 10 million for such efforts. Centre Party's Daniel Bäckström raised the issue of teenage deportations (Question 2025/26:514), while SD's Björn Söder also challenged the government on UN Secretary-General congratulations to Iran (Question 2025/26:512).
Key Questions Filed
- Q 2025/26:520 — Scanner equipment shortage and narcotics risks (S → Finance Minister)
- Q 2025/26:519 — Container traffic narcotics smuggling (S → Finance Minister)
- Q 2025/26:518 — Freedom of expression support in Iran (SD → Trade Minister)
- Q 2025/26:517 — Equestrian industry policy (C → Rural Affairs Minister)
- Q 2025/26:516 — Swedish diplomatic connections to Epstein (SD → Foreign Minister)
- Q 2025/26:514 — Teenage deportations (C → Migration Minister)
What to Watch
- Ministerial Responses: How the government addresses the port security and Epstein questions will be closely watched
- Cross-Party Dynamics: Both S and SD are pressing the government, suggesting potential for opposition cooperation on accountability
- Customs Investment: The scanner shortage may force a supplementary budget discussion on border security funding