“In the future, Sweden’s democracy assistance will focus, even more than today, on freedom of expression, both offline and online. My vision for our Embassy is to offer interesting discussions, meetings, debates and Democracy talks in Albania. I will prioritize activities that have democracy as an entry point. I believe that we need to talk about democracy every day,” said Swedish Ambassador Elsa Hastad
By Genc Mlloja
Senior Diplomatic Editor
Ambassador Elsa Hastad accepted with kindness the request of Albanian Daily News to share her opinions with our readers on some current issues with the focus on what is now called worldwide the ‘Swedish model’ of the combat against the coronavirus pandemic which has been somewhat different from many other countries.
“One of the most important aims of the Swedish strategy was to have a sustainable strategy – something that could last for a longer period,” the Ambassador said in the exclusive interview during which she revealed that life has not been carrying on as normal even in her country where similar tools to most other countries are used like promoting social distancing, protecting vulnerable people and at risk groups, carrying out testing, and reinforcing the health system to cope with the pandemic.
Mrs. Hastad noted that people in Sweden have a high level of trust in government agencies which means that a large proportion of people follow government agencies’ advice. “In the current situation, people in Sweden are on the whole acting responsibly to reduce the spread of infection by, for example, restricting their social contacts. Every person in Sweden needs to take individual responsibility. If everyone takes responsibility, we can keep the spread of the virus in check,” she said.
The Ambassador accepted that the pandemic has had severe effects on Swedes as well as on the Swedish economy, but the Government has taken several economic measures to mitigate the economic effects and to stabilise the economy. “Not all figures are as bad as expected though. Swedish export increased in February by 4%, production of commodities has increased and Sweden’s strong public finances will substantially limit the economic fallout.”
As in many countries the interest in Sweden’s management of the coronavirus crisis has been high in Albania, and the Ambassador said it gives her many possibilities to talk about something that she believes is very Swedish and of high interest for Albania, namely the role of institutions and the high level of trust among the public towards public institutions. “Our model of public administration carries the principle of strong and independent institutions filled with experts. This time of pandemic has really given more public attention to our institutions and experts.”
Ambassador Hastad thought the restrictive measures have been successful in keeping the number of infected down in Albania, but, according to her, it is a more difficult strategy to open up slowly, step by step, and for the citizens to know how to behave during each step.
World Press Freedom Day was marked a few days before the interview and speaking on its significance the Ambassador considered as a worrying development that Albania has dropped in the Press Freedom index. She thought that many of the challenges faced by Albanian journalists are the same as the challenges seen in Sweden and other countries. “Financing is a struggle for many media outlets, especially in a time when the way we consume media is changing. The balance between being independent and finding financing can be a thin line to walk. I know that now this is a bigger challenge to you than ever,” she said. However Mrs. Hasdat saw with optimism the digitalization which provides media with an enormous amount of new possibilities even in Albania. “The fact that Albania is starting the process of EU negotiations is also good news since free and independent media is one of the fundaments of EU-accession. Finally, I notice that the issue of ethics and self-regulation is high on the agenda of Albanian media and that is also good news.”
Considering as extraordinary the solidarity from the EU at these pandemic times the Ambassador revealed that she is impressed by the solidarity that Albania has shown by sending doctors and nurses to Italy. “This really is a time to come together and help each other,” she said.
Asked if enlargement strategy could be affected by the pandemic repercussions for the Ambassador it seems that the process is continuing as it is hoped right now, but the current situation of course makes it difficult to tell. “I believe the EU, Sweden included, are keen to move forward as soon as possible!” she said.
Sweden opened Europe Week 2020 with the performance of popular electro-pop artist AMWIN on May 4 and in a comment on this event the Ambassador said the aim was to promote a young, female artist and as her country has a feminist foreign policy that thing should be shown in everything done. “We are also very proud of our music export – if you look at the top charts we are actually third largest in the world after the US and UK,” said Swedish Ambassador Hasdat in the following interview:
Albanian Daily News: Madame Ambassador what can you tell the readers of Albanian Daily News on how is Sweden beating COVID-19 pandemic applying its own approach, choosing to implement less stringent measures than most other countries?
Ambassador Elsa Hastad: The Swedish model might seem very different from many other countries, including our Nordic neighbors. We are keeping our elementary schools running and allowing most businesses, including restaurants and bars, to remain open. One of the most important aims of the Swedish strategy was to have a sustainable strategy – something that could last for a longer period.
But life is not carrying on as normal in Sweden. We are using similar tools to most other countries – promoting social distancing, protecting vulnerable people and at risk groups, carrying out testing, and reinforcing our health system to cope with the pandemic.
The measures taken aim to save lives, slow down the outbreak and ensure that the Swedish health care system will cope with the extraordinary challenge that COVID-19 poses. Flattening the curve of infections over time is an important goal in Sweden.
– “Sweden shares the same goals as all other countries — to save lives and protect public health,” the minister of health and social affairs, Lena Hallengren has recently said. My question is: which has been Sweden’s ‘magic ball’ of defying this deadly virus at a low cost so far?
– I think that people in Sweden have a high level of trust in government agencies. This means that a large proportion of people follow government agencies’ advice. In the current situation, people in Sweden are on the whole acting responsibly to reduce the spread of infection by, for example, restricting their social contacts.
Every person in Sweden needs to take individual responsibility. If everyone takes responsibility, we can keep the spread of the virus in check.
– As a follow up, please, what can you tell us about Sweden’s economic performance at these pandemic times and secondly, what transition is predicted, according to you, in a post-coronavirus era because of its repercussions at world level?
– Many people are staying at home and many have stopped travelling. This has had severe effects on Swedes as well as on the Swedish economy. Too many businesses are folding and the service sector is hit the hardest. Unemployment is expected to rise dramatically. The Government has taken several economic measures to mitigate the economic effects and to stabilise the economy. Not all figures are as bad as expected though. Swedish export increased in February by 4%, production of commodities has increased and Sweden’s strong public finances will substantially limit the economic fallout.
– Sweden’s different approach to the coronavirus crisis has been and continues to be as much as I know the talk of Albanians of all walks of life. What has your Embassy done to help people learn more about Sweden’s response to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, which, according to me, has become an impressive ‘trade mark’ sealed on Albanians’ mind on your country?
– The interest in Sweden’s management remains high in many countries. Here in Albania, I have made several interviews on the topic. For me as an Ambassador it gives me many possibilities to talk about something that I believe is very Swedish and of high interest for Albania, namely the role of institutions and the high level of trust among the public towards public institutions. Our model of public administration carries the principle of strong and independent institutions filled with experts. This time of pandemic has really given more public attention to our institutions and experts.
Sweden has many institutional collaborations in Albania, more than in any other country in the world. The value of strong and independent institutions is really something I can talk more about now than before Corona. We also communicate and inform about the Swedish model through our social media more than ever!
– Madame Ambassador you have stayed in Albania during the lockdown because of the pandemic. What can you tell us on how you have managed to carry out the diplomatic mission in such circumstances and how do you assess the restrictive measures to combat the disease applied in this Balkan country?
– I have like everyone else, stayed at home as much as possible. After adjusting our internal Embassy work – I realized that I need to continue building relation and reaching out to communities I wanted to have a dialogue with. For example, our Swedish business community and the media community and other partners in Albania I wanted to stay in touch with. Some of my relations have been even easier to access now during lock-down since we all have a little more time for each other. We have used our social media more than before; we have been innovative and trying to promote Sweden as much as we can, using new possibilities of open culture from Sweden. People have more time in front of their mobile phones – and that is a possibility for us to reach out.
I think the restrictive measures have been successful in keeping the number of infected down, however, I think it is a more difficult strategy to open up slowly and step by step, it is more difficult for the citizens to know how to behave during each step. On the other hand, no one knows what measures in the end will prove to be the less harmful strategy.
-To change the subject but still much linked with the pandemic. A few days ago World Press Freedom Day was marked and world leaders, including Albanian ones, did not spare statements on journalists’ support as usually before on such occasions. But the reality shows that the space of free press is shrinking and power of journalism is weakening. I do not want to be pessimistic, but doesn’t it seem, Your Excellency, that their pledges fall short of the real expectations for true free press?
– It’s of course a worrying development that Albania has dropped in the Press Freedom index, but I think that many of the challenges faced by Albanian journalists are the same as the challenges we see in Sweden and other countries, like financial sustainability for example. Financing is a struggle for many media outlets, especially in a time when the way we consume media is changing. The balance between being independent and finding financing can be a thin line to walk. I know that now this is a bigger challenge to you than ever.
Media ethics is another topic discussed by journalists all around the globe. I think the solution to this is self-regulation, rather than legislation limiting the media freedom. I also think that journalism education must be strengthened, because the highest professional standards of journalism are essential for the news media industry to be seen.
Despite the shrinking space for democracy globally, I think this is also the time for optimism in Albania – digitalization provides media with an enormous amount of new possibilities. The fact that Albania is starting the process of EU negotiations is also good news since free and independent media is one of the fundaments of EU-accession. Finally, I notice that the issue of ethics and self-regulation is high on the agenda of Albanian media and that is also good news.
– As a follow up how is the experience of Sweden, a country where 250 years ago the first Freedom of the Press Act was passed by its Parliament, shared in Albania, and in this frame how will Swedish government’s new initiative known as “Sweden’s Drive for Democracy” assist in this direction?
-That is true – Sweden was the first country in the world to introduce a Freedom of Press Act in 1766. I’m glad you are mentioning our Drive for Democracy. Democracy and human rights can never be taken for granted. This is the reason behind Swedish government’s new initiative known as “Sweden’s Drive for Democracy”, intended to give a boost to Swedish support and engagement in democracy, an area that unfortunately seems to deteriorate globally.
In the future, Sweden’s democracy assistance will focus, even more than today, on freedom of expression, both offline and online.My vision for our Embassy is to offer interesting discussions, meetings, debates and Democracy talks in Albania. I will prioritize activities that have democracy as an entry point. I believe that we need to talk about democracy every day.
-The first reaction of EU members to the outbreak of the pandemic has been in a sort of disorder. Do you think that this ‘diversity’ has once again given a bad image of EU regarding unity and solidarity among its members and aspirant countries in WB region at such times of human disaster?
– I don’t think so, during the last months we have seen an extraordinary solidarity from the EU and I’m just as impressed by the solidarity that Albania has shown by sending doctors and nurses to Italy. This really is a time to come together and help each other. We also have to remember that not all of these topics are up to the EU to decide – but the member states.
– Could this COVID- related ‘disorder’ affect the enlargement strategy of the Union towards Western Balkans despite the green light given to Albania and North Macedonia at the climax of the pandemic?
– Right now it seems like the process is continuing as we are hoping, but the current situation of course makes it difficult to tell. I believe the EU, Sweden included, are keen to move forward as soon as possible!
– To conclude on an optimistic note. Sweden opened Europe Week 2020 with the performance of popular electro-pop artist AMWIN on May 4. Madame Ambassador which is the message conveyed on this occasion to Albanians?
– We wanted to promote a young, female artist – we have a feminist foreign policy and that is something that should be shown in everything we do. We are also very proud of our music export – if you look at the top charts we are actually third largest in the world after the US and UK! The message is of course also about togetherness with Albania during this time – music makes people come together!
