Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, has formally presented the ratification of Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to the Turkish Parliament, as reported by AP. However, the timing for the Turkish Parliament’s decision on this matter remains uncertain.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his appreciation for the development, eagerly anticipating Sweden’s inclusion in the alliance, according to the AP.
Of note, Turkey and Hungary are the final two NATO member nations yet to grant approval for Sweden’s NATO membership.
The delay from Ankara has been attributed to Sweden’s perceived leniency toward Kurdish groups within its borders, some of which are regarded as terrorists by the Turkish government, as they oppose Turkish policies.
Additionally, Turkish authorities have raised concerns about incidents involving the public burning of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, which have occurred multiple times this year. These protests, taking place outside mosques, have been permitted and unimpeded by Swedish law enforcement, citing the principle of freedom of expression.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden, like Finland, abandoned its decades-long military neutrality. Should both Turkey and Hungary eventually ratify Sweden’s NATO membership, Sweden will become the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Source: novinky.cz
