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VFS Global Expands Visa Services Network for Sweden

VFS Global reopens BKC visa application centre.(Photo:IANSLIFE)

Since 2019, VFS Global has handled nearly 500,000 visa applications on behalf of the government of Sweden….reports Asian Lite News

The Swedish Ministry of Justice has awarded VFS Global the global tender to provide visa services in 37 countries, including India.

Under this new agreement, VFS Global will continue to operate on behalf of the government of Sweden in eight regions worldwide — South Asia, the Americas, South East Asia, China, the Middle East and North Africa, Africa, Europe, and Russia.

In India, Sweden visa applications are accepted across eight VFS Global visa application centres (VACs) such as Ahmadabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.

VFS Global has worked with the government of Sweden since 2014 and under the new contract will provide Schengen visa services short term C visas, including biometric enrolment in 37 countries.

Since 2019, VFS Global has handled nearly 500,000 visa applications on behalf of the government of Sweden.

Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global, said: “We look forward to offering Swedish visa applicants best-in-class visa solutions, and a seamless application process across eight regions globally.”

ALSO READ: Experts Call for More EV Safety Education

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Sweden thwarts planned acts of terrorism, PM reveals

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson speaks at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, on Feb. 2, 2023. (Ninni Andersson/Government Offices of Sweden/Handout via Xinhua/IANS)

In one of the locations raided by German police, chemicals and fertilizers that can be used for manufacturing explosives were found, SVT said, citing German newspaper Die Welt…reports Asian Lite News

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has said that the government had thwarted several terrorist attacks.

“We know that planned acts of terrorism have been hindered,” Kristersson said at a press conference on Thursday, hours after the Swedish Secret Service’s decision to raise the terrorist threat level from “elevated” to “high”, Xinhua news agency reported.

Addressing the same press conference, Minister for Justice Gunnar Strommer said: “During spring, several people were arrested in Sweden and abroad suspected of having prepared attacks in Sweden.”

Strommer did not comment further on these arrests, but Swedish Television (SVT) reported that there were at least two known cases.

In April, five men were arrested in coordinated dawn raids in three Swedish cities. Four of them were later detained on suspicion of planning attacks triggered by the burning of the Quran, SVT reported.

Also in April, two men suspected of planning an attack on a church in Sweden were arrested by police in Germany, SVT reported.

In one of the locations raided by German police, chemicals and fertilizers that can be used for manufacturing explosives were found, SVT said, citing German newspaper Die Welt.

Sweden and Denmark have been in the spotlight in recent weeks after several extremists repeatedly burned or desecrated the Quran in the two countries’ capitals, sparking criticism from Muslim countries across the world.

ALSO READ-Turkey greenlights Sweden’s NATO bid

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Turkey greenlights Sweden’s NATO bid

The announcement came following talks between the Turkish and Swedish leaders in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, where the two-day NATO Summit will begin on Tuesday….reports Asian Lite News

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that Turkey has finally backed Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance and called Ankara’s decision “historic”.

Taking to Twitter late Monday night, Stoltenberg said: “Glad to announce that after the meeting I hosted with (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan & Swedish PM (Ulf Kristersson), President Erdogan has agreed to forward Sweden’s accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & ensure ratification. 

“This is an historic step which makes all NATO allies stronger & safer.”

The announcement came following talks between the Turkish and Swedish leaders in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, where the two-day NATO Summit will begin on Tuesday.

Turkey had previously spent months blocking Sweden’s application, accusing it of hosting Kurdish militants, reports the BBC.

As one of NATO’s 31 members, Turkey has a veto over any new country joining the group.


In a separate statement, the NATO chief  said Turkey and Sweden had addressed “Turkey’s legitimate security concerns” and as a result Sweden had amended its constitution, changed its laws, expanded its counter-terrorism operation against the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) and resumed arms exports to Turkey.


Monday night’s announcement was welcomed by a host of NATO members.


Reacting to the news, US President Joe Biden said he welcomed the commitment by his Turkish counterpart to proceed with “swift ratification”.


“I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Turkey on enhancing defence and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd Nato ally,” a White House statement said.

While German Foreign Minister Annalen Baerbock tweeted: “At 32, we’re all safer together,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Sweden joining would “make us all safer”.

President of the EU Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen said: “A historic step in Vilnius. I welcome the important step that Türkiye has promised to take, to ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO.”

Sweden and its eastern neighbour Finland announced their intention to join NATO in May last year in the wake of Russia launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 

Finland formally joined he alliance in April this year.

The main focus of the two-day NATO Summit is Ukraine’s membership which President Volodymr Zelensky has been pushing for months amid the ongoing war.

But all NATO members agree that Ukraine cannot join the bloc during the war amid fears this would lead to a direct conflict with a nuclear-armed Russia, the BBC reported.

Zelensky has admitted that he does not expect a membership until after the war, but he wants the Summit to give a “clear signal” on Ukraine’s bid.

ALSO READ: NATO leaders to meet for crucial summit

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Erdogan urges Sweden to ‘keep promises’ for NATO bid

The President further said that he would bring that to allies’ attention at the NATO summit held in Vilnius, Lithuania next week….reports Asian Lite News

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reaffirmed that his country would not green-light Sweden’s accession to NATO unless the Nordic nation adopted a firm stance against “terror groups”.

“How can a state that doesn’t distance itself from terror organizations contribute to NATO?” Xinhua news agency quoted Erdogan as saying at the graduation ceremony of the National Defense University in Istanbul on Friday.

He said his government expected Sweden to abide by its promise of taking into account Turkey’s security concerns.

The President further said that he would bring that to allies’ attention at the NATO summit held in Vilnius, Lithuania next week.

Erdogan noted that Turkey backed NATO’s open-door policy and was ready to welcome any state committed to the alliance’s fundamental principles.

Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO last year but faced objections from Turkey on the grounds that the two countries harbor members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the Gulen movement.

Turkey eventually lifted its objection to Finland earlier this year after the Nordic country took “concrete steps” against such groups, and the country went on to become NATO’s 31st member in April.

But Ankara maintains its veto of Sweden.

The military alliance will hold a summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12, at which NATO wants to finalise Sweden’s admission process.

ALSO READ: Erdogan: Ukraine deserves NATO membership

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Sweden charges Greta Thunberg with disobeying orders

Thunberg faces a fine or a sentence of up to six months in jail, according to the Authority….reports Asian Lite News

The Swedish Prosecution Authority has charged climate activist Greta Thunberg with disobeying law enforcement after she allegedly refused to leave a protest site last month.

“The prosecutor has filed charges against a young woman who, on June 19 this year, participated in a climate demonstration which, according to the prosecution, caused disruption to traffic in Malmo,” CNN quoted the Authority as saying in a statement on Thursday. 

The woman “refused to obey the police command to leave the scene”, it added.

While the statement does not identify the climate activist by name, Annika Collin, a spokesperson for the Swedish Prosecution Authority, told CNN that the woman referred to is Thunberg.

“The criminal classification is disobedience to law enforcement. According to the prosecutor, the act was committed with intent,” the Prosecution Authority’s statement added.

Thunberg faces a fine or a sentence of up to six months in jail, according to the Authority.

In January, Thunberg was detained by police during a protest in the village of Lutzerath, Germany, over the expansion of a coal mine. 
She was released later the same day.

ALSO READ: Turkey-Sweden standoff not over yet

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Turkey-Sweden standoff not over yet

Finland’s flag was raised outside NATO Headquarters for the first time.

Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO last year but faced objections from Turkey…reports Asian Lite News

Turkey did not green-light Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at a three-party meeting held here, but the participants agreed to meet again next Monday in Vilnius, Lithuania, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

The aim of Thursday’s talks between Stoltenberg and the foreign ministers of Sweden and Turkey in Brussels was to overcome Turkey’s objections to Sweden joining the alliance, Xinhua news agency reported.

Stoltenberg described the Brussels meeting as “productive” and reaffirmed that Sweden’s NATO membership is within reach. He added that he would convene a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on the eve of NATO’s July 11-12 summit.

Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO last year but faced objections from Turkey, which argued that the two countries harbour members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Gulen movement.

Turkey eventually lifted its objection to Finland’s NATO accession earlier this year after Helsinki took “concrete steps” against such organisations. In April, Finland became NATO’s 31st member state. However, Ankara continued to block Sweden’s NATO bid.

Stoltenberg said Sweden had amended its constitution and introduced new anti-terrorist legislation, removed restrictions on arms exports to Turkey, and stepped up counter-terrorism cooperation, including against the PKK.

“Sweden has taken steps in terms of legislative changes, but legislative changes need to be reflected in practice,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was quoted by Turkish state-run Anadolu News Agency as saying.

Fidan said after the meeting that it is imperative that countries wishing to join NATO take a firm stand in the fight against terrorism.

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said after the meeting that progress was made during the meeting and that his country expects “a positive decision next week.”

ALSO READ: Turkey to tame inflation

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Biden to host Swedish PM in a show of support for NATO bid  

Sweden and neighbor Finland ended their longstanding policy of military nonalignment after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022…reports Asian Lite News

President Joe Biden plans to host Sweden’s prime minister at the White House on Wednesday in a show of solidarity as the United States presses for the Nordic nation’s entry into NATO, a week before the alliance’s summit.

Biden and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will “review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible,” the White House said a statement announcing the meeting. The leaders also will discuss the war in Ukraine and matters involving China.

Sweden and neighbor Finland ended their longstanding policy of military nonalignment after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Both applied for NATO membership, seeking protection under the organization’s security umbrella.

Finland, which shares a more than 800-mile or 1,300-kilometer border with Russia, joined NATO in April. But Sweden, which has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, has seen its ascension delayed by Turkey and Hungary; NATO requires the unanimous approval of all members to expand.

NATO had hoped the road to Sweden’s membership would be smoothed out before the alliance’s summit July 11-12 in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Sweden’s entry would be a symbolically powerful moment and the latest indication of how Russia’s war is driving countries to join the alliance. Those hopes have dimmed.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has resisted, with his government accusing Sweden of being too lenient toward groups that it says pose a security threat, including militant Kurdish organizations and people associated with a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey.

Last week, he condemned Sweden over a Quran-burning protest. Swedish police allowed the protest outside a mosque in central Stockholm, citing freedom of speech after a court overturned a ban on a similar Quran-burning.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he would gather senior officials from Turkey, Sweden and Finland on Thursday to try to overcome Turkey’s objections.

Hungary also has yet to ratify Sweden’s bid. Hungarian lawmakers said a long-delayed parliamentary vote on that would not happen until the autumn legislative session.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has alleged that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy. High-ranking Hungarian officials have said they support Sweden’s membership bid while also making vague demands from Stockholm as conditions for approval.

ALSO READ: US’ narrow focus on China may undercut Indo-US potential

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Restart of nuclear reactor in Sweden delayed for 3 more weeks

Since last summer, some of the remaining reactors have at times been offline for extended periods due to maintenance and technical problems…reports Asian Lite News

The restart of a Swedish nuclear reactor which was due to be operational by the end of June following maintenance work has been postponed by three more weeks, media reported.

The Ringhals 3 reactor will instead restart on July 19, Johan Pettersson, a spokesperson for the electricity company Vattenfall, which owns and operates the Ringhals nuclear power plant, told Swedish Television (SVT) on Saturday.

“At the end of the maintenance period, another task was added,” Pettersson said.

Another reactor, the Ringhals 4, was originally scheduled to be reconnected to the energy system last November, following repairs of a pressure vessel that was damaged in August. The restart date was pushed back several times until the reactor was eventually restarted in April this year.

But Pettersson added that the scale of the current problem is not comparable with the previous one of the Ringhals 4.

Following the decommissioning of four reactors between 2017 and 2020, six reactors remain at three sites and produce around 30 per cent of the electricity in Sweden, according to the Swedish Energy Agency.

Since last summer, some of the remaining reactors have at times been offline for extended periods due to maintenance and technical problems, which has at times led to electricity price peaks.

ALSO READ: Sweden boosts defence spending to meet NATO target

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Swedish central bank raises key interest rate, signals further tightening

Inflation in the country stood at 9.7 per cent in May, according to Statistics Sweden…reports Asian Lite News

Sweden’s central bank announced a 25 basis point hike of its benchmark interest rate to 3.75 per cent — a level not seen since 2008.

This is the seventh consecutive rate hike by the Riksbank since May last year, reports Xinhua news agency.

Before this round of interest rate hikes, the policy rate in Sweden had been at zero or sub-zero for more than seven years.

Another increase is also likely to come before the end of the year, the Riksbank said in a statement on Thursday.

Inflation in the country stood at 9.7 per cent in May, according to Statistics Sweden.

Although it is falling, the rate is still “far too high”, the bank said.

The unexpected rapid rise in service prices, which may reflect demand pressures in parts of the Swedish economy, is the main reason for the high inflation.

The weak krona is also contributing to keeping inflation up, the bank added.

“The high inflation is being felt by households with small margins in particular, but is also problematic for the economy as a whole. It is therefore of the utmost importance that inflation falls back to the target of 2 per cent within a reasonable period of time,” the Riksbank said in the statement.

In the bank’s latest forecast, inflation is expected to remain substantially above the target, at 8.9 per cent this year and 4.3 per cent in 2024, before reaching 2.3 per cent in 2025 and 1.9 per cent in 2026.

The Swedish economy is expected to shrink by 0.5 per cent this year, stay level in 2024, and only grow slightly by 1.8 per cent in 2025.

ALSO READ-Sweden boosts defense spending to meet NATO target

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Sweden boosts defence spending to meet NATO target

The Swedish government decided to seek NATO membership in May 2022…reports Asian Lite News

Sweden will increase its defence budget by 20 per cent next year, in order to meet the NATO target of 2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Minister for Defense Pal Jonson said.

The defence budget will be upped by 20 billion kronor ($1.86 billion) to reach 117 billion kronor in 2024, reports Xinhua news agency citing Swedish Television (SVT)  as saying.

For 2025, the government plans to increase the budget by a further 12 billion kronor, SVT reported.

“We will reach 2.1 per cent (of the GDP) according to NATO’s definition,” Jonson told SVT.

“This is absolutely necessary as the Armed Forces are facing higher costs due to increasing fuel costs and inflation,” the Minister added.

The Swedish government decided to seek NATO membership in May 2022.

So far, NATO member states Turkey and Hungary have yet to ratify Sweden as a member. 

ALSO READ-US Senators to press ahead with NATO Plus bill