Secret Documents Found at Arlanda Airport Following Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson’s Turkey Visit

According to Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN), after Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s visit to Turkey in November 2022 to discuss Turkey’s NATO membership process, a Swedish government official left a folder containing confidential documents at Stockholm Arlanda Airport.

Details of the Incident

The security breach occurred just weeks after Kristersson took office and during highly confidential talks aimed at securing Turkey’s approval of Sweden’s NATO application. The documents were discovered by a cleaning staff member in the airport terminal and temporarily came into the hands of unauthorized personnel.

According to DN sources, the folder was found in a restroom at the terminal, and the lost file was reported to the government offices’ security unit. The incident happened because personnel traveling on the government plane were directed to the airport terminal via public transportation instead of a taxi.

Government Response and Security Classification

Swedish Government Offices confirmed the incident:

“It is true that an employee at the Government Offices left a file at Arlanda following the Prime Minister’s trip to Turkey, and it was found by airport staff.”

Authorities downplayed the severity of the breach, stating:

“The folder was assessed not to contain information subject to security classification. Therefore, no damage assessment was conducted, and the incident was not reported to the Security Police.”

In Swedish law, security classification applies to information that could harm national security, while broader confidentiality is regulated under the Access to Information and Secrecy Act. According to DN sources, part of the folder fell under foreign affairs secrecy and contained information that could affect Sweden’s relations with other states.

Security Incidents During the NATO Process

The lost documents were reportedly copies of briefing files related to the Prime Minister’s official trips. The employee attributed the mistake to the intensity and pressure of the travel schedule.

The incident adds to a series of security breaches during Sweden’s NATO membership process. After Kristersson’s visit to Turkey, his childhood friend Henrik Landerholm was appointed as the new national security advisor and caused several security incidents during his first six months in office. In March 2023, Landerholm was accused of neglecting confidential information after leaving documents at the Gallofsta conference center.

Turkey’s NATO Approval

Turkey delayed Sweden’s NATO membership application for a year following the November 2022 meetings. The highly confidential process and discussions with Turkey were not publicly disclosed. Turkey finally approved Sweden’s NATO membership in 2024, completing its accession to the Atlantic alliance.