Stockholm, Dec 22 (DPA) The Swedish government Wednesday said it would close five embassies next year due to budget constraints.
The embassies facing closure in 2011 are in Argentina, Belgium, Vietnam, Malaysia and Angola, the government said following a cabinet meeting.
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt’s centre-right government is two seats shy of a majority in parliament, and failed to sway the opposition not to go ahead with the proposed cuts.
‘This painful decision is the result of parliament’s recent decision to cut appropriations to the government offices by 300 million kronor (about $44 million),’ Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said.
Bildt has earlier estimated that the foreign ministry share of the 300-million-kronor cut was 135 million kronor.
