Sweden will not compromise on freedom of expression or rule of law, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said on Wednesday in response to Turkey’s Erdogan’s continuing demands and condemnations.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this week that as long as Sweden allows Quran books to be burned and destroyed, Turkey will not agree to Sweden’s NATO application.
This was in reference to an event that took place on 21 January, when Danish-Swedish citizen Rasmus Paludan burnt a Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, which led to demonstrations across the Muslim world and stirred up Ankara’s anger.
In response, Swedish Foreign minister Tobias Billström told TT that Sweden has a far-reaching freedom of expression charter and that it does not intend to limit it.
“We are not compromising on freedom of expression, it is very clear what is required for Sweden to become a member of NATO and that is that we meet the requirements that are in the trilateral memorandum. And we will do that within the framework set by our constitution, our legislation and principles of the rule of law,” he said.
He pointed out that Sweden has delivered results in all parts of the agreement reached between Sweden, Finland, and Turkey on NATO membership.
“We are continuing to implement it. Religion is not part of the agreement, but having said that, I understand that the Turkish side is upset about what was certainly legal but not respectful,” he said.
“Right now there is an election campaign in Turkey and in election campaigns, many things are said and many things seem to be said, that is always the case. It is in the light of that that these statements need to be seen,” Billström added.
The Swedish foreign minister insisted that the situation now needs to “cool down on both sides” as Sweden intends on continuing the talks with Turkey on the implementation of this agreement at the level of officials.
However, the situation might not be that simple as the far-right Sweden Democrats who support the current ruling coalition (composed of the Moderate, Christian Democrat and Liberal parties) are up in arms against Erdogan’s demands.
Sweden Democrat MP Richard Jomshof, chairman of the Justice Committee, said in an interview with Dagens Industri that Sweden must never bow to Turkish threats, adding on the subject of burning Qur’an books, “if they get upset, burn a hundred more.”
Turkey is also stalling its approval of Sweden’s membership over demands to deport some 130 people it considers terrorists, mainly Kurds, that it blames for the 2016 coup d’etat attempt.
(Charles Szumski | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
