"The reason we are doing this is, of course, that the war in Iran is affecting the Swedish economy and the Swedish people. It is also the worst global energy crisis we have seen," says Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M).
Even if the war ends tomorrow, it will have economic consequences for a long time.
According to the Minister of Finance, the crisis package is about keeping households and affected industries as damage-free as possible during the crisis.
Reduced taxes
One of the measures in the crisis package is to further reduce taxes on gasoline and diesel for five months, from July to November. Taxes on fossil fuels were first reduced in May.
The government expects that the new reduction will make the price at the pump three kronor lower than it otherwise would be.
This will have significant effects for households and people who need a car to get to work, says SD's Martin Kinnunen.
For a petrol car owner who drives 9,000 kilometers a year with a consumption of 0.6 liters per kilometer, the savings for the entire period are estimated to amount to SEK 675.
One billion kronor is also being spent on "topping up" the electricity subsidy that will start being paid out in June for January and February. However, the billion does not mean more money for households, but rather that the subsidy has become more expensive than previously estimated.
The measures presented total SEK 8.7 billion. How the rest of the announced SEK 17.5 billion will be used will be presented later.
According to Liberal Party leader Simona Mohamsson, support for cheaper public transport will also be included in the crisis package.
It will be a substantial discount that will be noticeable in people's wallets, she says.
Support for aviation?
Support for farmers and aviation may also be considered. But all measures in the crisis package are temporary.
In addition to temporarily supporting households and affected industries, the crisis package is, according to the Minister of Finance, important to ensure that households' concerns about developments do not lead to reduced consumption, which makes the recession even more prolonged.
TT: Is it right to invest so much money when you have to borrow money to finance the measures?
Taking action now, targeting special support measures to those most affected and giving households a financial buffer, yes, that's right, says Svantesson.
We have a completely unique position when it comes to our state finances.
