Turkish MFA urges Sweden to put counter-terrorism laws into practice to join NATO

The amendments to Sweden's anti-terrorism laws are not enough for the country to join NATO, it is necessary to apply these laws in practice.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made the remark on July 6 in Brussels, where consultations were held on Stockholm's progress in meeting Türkiye's conditions for joining the alliance, TASS reported.

"We see no point in changing [Sweden's anti-terrorism] legislation if terrorists continue to walk the streets, stage demonstrations, recruit new members, and have access to funding. Therefore, claims that Sweden has complied with the terms of the memorandum should be assessed separately," he said. Fidan's statement was broadcast by the TRT channel.

"Sweden needs to actually apply these laws in practice. NATO is a military alliance and one of its pillars is the fight against terrorism. We are forced to think about the fact that Sweden's security infrastructure cannot establish an effective mechanism to prevent provocations. Sweden should not create risks but contribute to the fight against terrorism within NATO. Türkiye should know that Sweden will be a credible partner," Fidan said.

He recalled that Sweden had taken a number of steps within the framework of the memorandum with Türkiye. In particular, it amended the anti-terrorist legislation, which formally came into force on June 1, and lifted the ban on the export of defence products to Türkiye. But it is the issue of the practical application of the legislation that Türkiye has complaints about. "On the first day of Eid al-Adha, a vile attack on our holy book, the Quran, was allowed. It is impossible to turn a blind eye to this. Besides, this is not the first time this has happened. The question arises how a country that allows this can contribute to the fight against terrorism," the minister said.