Under present Swedish law, military intelligence is only allowed to monitor radio communications passing through the country. Now, in a controversial proposal, the Swedish government wants to allow the monitoring of all telephone and e-mail traffic that crosses its borders. Defence Minister Mikael Odenberg says that this is the only way to fight the threat of terrorism.
The proposal has sparked furious reactions in Sweden, where many feel that it has serious implications for civil liberties and the right to privacy. There are also concerns in Finland because nearly all of Finland's international telephone connections and much of its e-mail traffic pass by cable through Sweden. Finland is now looking into the possibility of electronically bypassing Sweden.
Finland’s Ministry of Transport and Communications has been in contact with Finnish telecommunications operators who have been asked to report on the possible implications of the proposed Swedish legislation.
While Finland is concerned about the confidentiality of its international communications, Harri Pursiainen, Chief of Staff at the ministry of Transport and Communications, says that it is still premature to discuss the matter because the bill has not yet been passed in Sweden.
Pursiainen notes that a large part of Finnish communications go via Sweden, and in his view, Finnish citizens have the right to confidential communications.
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