The issue of Sweden’s pariah status was hotly debated recently on a popular Scandinavian radio program, “A Norwegian, a Swede and a Dane,” which broadcasts weekly in all three countries. In fact, the Nordic Passport Union, established in 1954, was a model for the European Union’s open border system.īut then came the pandemic. They have long allowed travel among themselves without border checks and documents. With the exception of Finland, they share roughly common languages and cultures, and have currencies generally pegged to one another. Historically, the Scandinavian nations have been bound together in a number of ways. Nevertheless, she said, “suddenly there were border guards” on the bridge connecting the two countries. She pointed to southern Sweden, where coronavirus infections were much lower than in bordering Denmark. “It is sad and frustrating that regions on the borders were so easy to close,” said Ms. While the emergency laws and “strong travel advice” have upset many Swedes, nothing has been more painful than the behavior of their neighbors, said Ann Linde, Sweden’s foreign minister. Greece makes Swedes quarantine for at least a week, even if they test negative for the coronavirus. In several countries, like the Netherlands and Cyprus, they are banned completely. Most countries in the bloc have reopened their borders to member nations, but only France, Italy, Spain and Croatia are welcoming Swedes without restrictions. Long considered the lucky holders of one of the best passports for seamless global travel, Swedes now find themselves with few options for moving about the European Union.

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