Today’s news / Sweden
"We are cordoning off an area of 800 square kilometres. We will impose extremely severe restrictions, and people in the area will feel it," said State Veterinarian Erika Chenais, after the discovery of dead wild boars northwest of Stockholm raised fears of swine fever in Sweden. Photo: Morten Juhl/archive/Ritzau Scanpix

Sweden

  • On Thursday, Swedish authorities sealed off an area of 800 square kilometres due to African swine fever and announced severe restrictions. “We are cordoning off an area of 800 square kilometres. We will impose extremely severe restrictions, and people in the area will feel that,” said State Veterinarian Erika Chenais. 800 square kilometres is a significantly larger area than Bornholm, which is just over 588 square kilometres. At least seven wild boars have died and authorities believe they have been infected by African swine fever. The restrictions mean that a number of activities are prohibited in the restricted area, including moose hunting and mushroom picking. In some places, business activities are banned and in others a total residence ban is imposed. It is the first time that African swine fever has been detected in a dead wild boar in Sweden, the Swedish Agriculture Agency said on Wednesday. /ritzau/TT/
  • From the beginning of next year, the Swedish Government will reduce the tax on petrol by SEK 1.64 per litre, the Energy and Business Minister Ebba Busch announced on Wednesday at a press conference, according to Swedish SVT. “We know that many families are having a hard time at the moment. Inflation is hitting hard and wide across the country,” the minister said. The tax on diesel is to be reduced by SEK 43. According to SVT this is at the EU’s minimum level. The reason for the difference between petrol and diesel is the reduction obligation. It is a Swedish law that obliges companies selling petrol and diesel to limit greenhouse gas emissions. /ritzau/