SPECULUM VERUM
In a new document, "a handful" of military transports from the Baltic countries are confirmed in Estonia with the Swedish Armed Forces as recipients. It must be about "electronic equipment without any connection to weapons systems" that has been transported in civilian vehicles.
- At the beginning of the 90s, the Baltic countries were newly independent and the Soviet Union had fallen, so there was probably a great interest for, among other things, the Swedish Armed Forces in getting military equipment from there, says Jonas Bäckstrand, chairman of the Estonia investigation at the National Accident Commission (writ), to TT.
He describes that new information emerged during interviews with both current and former employees of the Armed Forces.
"Has gone to the bottom of most things"
Colonel Anders Stach at the Armed Forces confirms that "technical equipment with associated documentation" was transported, but he can't go into why. Nor can he explain why civilian vehicles were used.
- What we know today is what we have shared, and we've gotten to the bottom of most of it, he says to TT.
"Project belt support"
In the Armed Forces' written response to SHK, "Project baltstöd" is mentioned, a Swedish military aid program in which they participated 1993-2003. The project including "equipment that was transferred to the Baltics" as well as "comprehensive training programs" and demining. But according to the Swedish Armed Forces, it is not possible to find out which ships were used in based on their archives.
Survivors demand rematch
Recently wrote 17 survivors from the sinking of the Estonia on DN Debate on the need to add more resources and review the accident report in its entirety. They describe that it took 27 years before they were allowed to testify and that the final report from 1997 did not fully match their experiences.
"If during the 90s it was sensitive to investigate because of security policy and Sweden's need to assert its freedom of alliance, maybe it can be valued differently now?”, write the debaters.