Swedish Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors has quit, the prime minister said yesterday, following weeks of controversy over revelations Sweden planned to help Saudi Arabia build an arms factory.
"I have today, upon request from Sten Tolgfors, decided to relieve him (of his duties)," Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt told a news conference.
Reinfeldt stressed that Tolgfors, who has served as defence minister since 2007, had begun hinting months ago that he wanted to leave, but acknowledged that media focus on the weapons factory scandal had sped up his exit.
"The probe and the questions around this issue will continue... and that is of course a good thing," Reinfeldt said, adding that Tolgfors would maintain his seat in parliament while Infrastructure Minister Catharina Elmsaeter-Svaerd would temporarily take over the defence portfolio.
Public broadcaster Swedish Radio revealed earlier this month that the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) had secret plans since 2007 to help Saudi Arabia build a plant for the production of anti-tank weapons.
Sweden has in the past sold weapons to Saudi Arabia, but classified government documents say Project Simoom "pushes the boundaries of what is possible for a Swedish authority," the radio said when it broke the story on March 6.