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Sweden’s national security adviser, Henrik Landerholm, has tendered his resignation amidst a police investigation prompted by a series of unfortunate missteps, including his accidental leave of classified documents at a hotel. This situation has garnered significant attention from Swedish media in recent weeks.
Landerholm, who has served in his role for two years, has faced scrutiny primarily due to his close ties with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, which fueled debates upon his initial appointment. His recent blunders, including leaving behind a notebook after an interview and misplacing his phone at the Hungarian embassy, have been particularly troublesome given his crucial position in national security.
The most alarming incident occurred in March 2023, when Landerholm left classified materials in a hotel conference center safe. In a formal statement, he addressed the implications of this oversight, noting, “I have been informed that a preliminary investigation has been opened into the incident with the documents forgotten at the hotel conference centre. I have informed the prime minister of this and we have agreed that under the circumstances I can no longer fulfil my work obligations and that is why I’m leaving my position as national security adviser.”
Despite previous support from Kristersson amid calls from the opposition for Landerholm’s resignation, the prime minister ultimately conceded that the ongoing investigation rendered Landerholm’s continuation in the role untenable. He stated, “It is not possible for him to continue his work under these conditions. The legal process will now run its course.”
According to Dagens Nyheter (DN), a leading Swedish newspaper, cleaning staff at the hotel discovered the forgotten documents, which were later retrieved by a colleague. The situation intensified when it was revealed that Landerholm had also left his mobile device at the Hungarian embassy in December 2022, a sensitive incident coinciding with Sweden’s NATO membership aspirations, which Hungary had been obstructing.
In another lapse, in January 2023, Landerholm misplaced a notebook at Radio Sweden (SR) after an interview; rather than being personally delivered by a colleague, it was sent to a Stockholm café in a plastic bag by taxi, further raising concerns about security protocols.
Landerholm, who is 61 years old and has known Kristersson since childhood, has held various significant positions, including ambassador, director of Sweden’s Psychological Defence Agency, principal of the Swedish Defence University, and chair of the parliamentary defense committee.
Source
www.theguardian.com