You're reading: Swedish ambassador: ‘We support Ukraine’s European integration’

After a stint in Moscow, Stefen Gullgren, Sweden’s ambassador to Ukraine, settled in Kyiv in 2009.

In his interview to Kyiv Post Gullgren, who represents a nation that has been one of the Ukraine’s most ardent supporters in the European Union, talks about the major issues of the day. Here are the highlights of the interview.

Kyiv Post: Where do our bilateral relations stand now?

Stefen Gullgren: For many years already, we have supported Ukraine’s European integration, specifically in two areas: energy efficiency and environmental legislation and democratic governance and human rights. The funding for these programs amounts to 20 million euros per year.

In energy efficiency and environment protection it is obvious that a lot could be done in Ukraine. In the 1970s, Sweden was completely dependent on oil for the municipal sector. Therefore we were heavily affected by the oil crisis in 1973 when prices for oil increased sharply.

We came to a political consensus that we need to decrease our dependence on oil and now, 20-30 years later, our whole municipal sector is using renewable energy sources.

Since 1980, Sweden has also increased its gross domestic product by 50 percent while cutting its emissions of carbon dioxide by 40 percent, which shows that one can combine energy efficiency with economic growth.

KP: In your opinion, where does Ukraine stand now in terms of energy efficiency?

SG: Well, it’s obvious that the country is at the very beginning. Energy efficiency needs to be put at the top of political agenda. The change will take time.

The country needs to adopt and adapt legislation that stimulates energy efficiency and use of renewable sources. Tariffs have to be increased and companies should be ‘punished’ through taxation or other measures for the use of fossil fuel. Those measures are difficult obviously.

It seems to me that focus in Ukraine is still too much on how to substitute the imported gas with something else rather than how to cut energy consumption as such. In my opinion, Ukraine consumes too much energy per capita than it really has to.

For example, [here in the embassy building] I’ve this old type of radiator that I can’t regulate. It means that I have to open the window in the winter when it’s cold outside and too hot inside. That’s not energy efficiency.

KP: How about your second initiative in democratic governance?

SG: We are fairly optimistic, but it’s too early to judge because we have just started. Of course, we understand that we won’t be able to overhaul the corruption and bureaucracy in Ukraine immediately.

Corruption is a big problem. In Sweden we have a long and strong tradition of public information, which is laid down in the Constitution since the 18th century. Journalists, as well as everyone else, have a right to know what the authorities are doing and how they spend public money.

In Ukraine I see a political will to reform. The question is to what extend it is possible to implement policy into practice. Behavior and attitudes of many public officials need to be changed.

KP: How do you estimate the economic relation between our countries?

SG: Our bilateral trade amounts to around 260 million euro in 2010, which is a 50 percent decrease from the pre-crisis figures. Generally our trade is not big. For Ukraine to be able to attract investment and boost trade, it needs to access the free trade area.

KP: Since the new government has been in place do you and Swedish businesses see any results of the reforms?

SG: There has been a partial implementation of the reform program, but the president himself admitted that it is going slower than the government had planned. That is unfortunate, but I think that the business community still hopes to see the reform program implemented.

But I think patience is going to be limited. If you present a very ambitious reform program and if implementation doesn’t follow in the stated timeline, then distrust builds up. Swedish companies are still hopeful and optimistic, but they would like to see the results quicker.

KP: In Sweden such patience hardly exists. Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Mona Sahlin had to resign after it became know that she used her official charge card to buy chocolate for her children in 1995….

SG: The level of tolerance for corruption in Sweden is very low. Public officials are entrusted with money and authority. It’s an obligation for them to show that they are worthy of that trust and that they will be held accountable if they don’t perform according to the demands of the public.

The thing about that case was that she spent money for purposes that they are not supposed to be used – whether it’s a bar of chocolate or something else. It’s a matter of principle.

KP: Did the recent sex scandal that arose after the publication of a book that exposed 64-year-old Carl XVI as a frequent participant at wild sex parties change the attitude towards the monarchy?

SG: I don’t want to go into the details of that. I can just note that this book about a king’s private life has stirred a debate in the Swedish media. I don’t think it affected significantly the attitudes of Swedish people as far as the monarchy is concerned.

The allegations refer to what may or may not have happened 25 years ago. Is that relevant? It’s debatable.

Kyiv Post staff writer Katya Grushenko can be reached at [email protected]