When ordering, the Swedish Armed Forces explained several times that it had difficulty providing its own aircraft. But the Riksdag insisted, and therefore a private plane was hired, reports Dagens Nyheter. When this happens, the entire additional cost is covered by the Swedish Armed Forces.
The day before departure, the trip was canceled because the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington unexpectedly closed. The Armed Forces still had to pay part of the rental cost - almost 1.5 million kronor.
The defense budget should be used as wisely as possible, so you always have to discuss what makes sense, comments Lieutenant Colonel Stefan Wilson, a teacher at the Swedish National Defense University
The Speaker, who was to travel with a group of members of parliament, says he was not aware of the discussions prior to the trip.
"We were supposed to fly early Monday morning and I was told on Friday that a privately owned plane had been booked. I never received any explanation as to why they did it that way," he says.
DN has previously reported that the Armed Forces also rented a private plane this summer, when the Speaker was to travel to Geneva with his family.
