A region devastated by war. Ms Mariann Fischer Boel, the EU commissioner for agriculture, was deeply shocked by seeing the forest devastation in the regions in Smoland that were worst stricken by the storm.This is worse than I could ever imagine. I find it depressing. It looks as if there had been a war here, was the commissioner's first reaction when seeing the destruction with her own eyes.
A colourful commissioner, dressed in a green jacket, a pink scarf and lacquer coloured loafers started her tour of Sweden in the farmer couple Helen and Stefan Runesson's forest in Gemla outside Växjö.
She wanted to see what damage the storm had done and to get an idea if Sweden fulfils the requirements for getting money from the EU solidarity fund. A request for around 80 million euros has been submitted to the Commission.
Sweden fulfils the requirements more than well. This is a catastrophe, said Mariann Fischer Boel.
However, she was not able to make any promises. I do not want to forecast how much money Sweden can get from EU. I do not hold the purse strings she said.
They hare held by Danuta Hübner, the Polish commissioner for regional policy, who will also visit Sweden shortly.