At a press conference on measures to increase Swedish growth, the government presented, among other things, the decision to abolish the disputed air travel tax from next summer.
What planet are they on when they think that abolishing air travel tax will save Swedish growth? asks Vänsterpartiet's economic policy spokesperson Ida Gabrielsson.
She means that what northern Sweden needs right now is not people flying in and out, but housing so that the workforce can live there.
"Not serious"
Miljöpartiet's spokesperson Amanda Lind says that air travel must pay for its climate costs.
This government presents policy after policy that increases emissions instead. The reduction obligation, air travel tax, making it difficult for wind power expansion – it's not serious climate policy.
The government does not expect emissions to increase to a higher degree, since air travel will be regulated more strictly through new EU rules in the coming years.
MP wants to double the air travel tax and also wants it to remain when the new EU rules are introduced.
Most of all EU citizens live in countries that have an air travel tax, it's not unusual. What's unusual is that the government is backing down on climate policy when we need to do the exact opposite, says Lind.
Increased emissions
Ida Gabrielsson also points out that EU rules do not cover travel outside the EU, which the air travel tax does.
For Swedish growth, it's a non-decision, and for the climate, it means increased emissions, she says.
Socialdemokraterna's economic policy spokesperson Mikael Damberg is not as clear.
It's good that air travel is entering the ETS system (emission trading), it's something we've strived for with the new Fit for 55. But now the government is choosing to trick and abolish the air travel tax before the new system is in place, we'll examine and see if it's wise or not.
