Arrr, Turkey's parliament be agreein' to cast their vote on Sweden's membership in NATO, matey! After much blabberin' and squabblin', they be takin' action!
2024-01-23
Arr, mateys! The Turkish scallywags be finally settin' a date for a grand vote on Sweden's quest to join the mighty NATO. Aye, 'tis a long wait, but last month, Turkey's foreign affairs crew gave their blessin' to Sweden's plan. Yo ho ho!
Turkish legislators have begun debating a bill to approve Sweden's bid to join NATO, which could remove a major hurdle for Sweden's entry into the military alliance. Turkey, a NATO member, has been reluctant to ratify Sweden's accession for over a year, accusing the country of being too lenient towards groups it considers security threats. Turkey has been seeking concessions from Sweden, including a tougher stance on Kurdish militants and members of a network blamed for a failed coup in 2016. Turkey has also been angered by demonstrations in Sweden by supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party and Quran-burning protests that affected Muslim countries. Last month, the foreign affairs committee of Turkey's parliament consented to Sweden's bid, and it is expected to be approved in a vote. Swedish Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar cited steps taken by Sweden to meet Turkish demands, including lifting restrictions on defense industry sales and amending anti-terrorism laws. Sweden has also pledged deeper cooperation with Turkey on counterterrorism and support for Turkey's ambition to revive its EU membership bid. Turkey's main opposition party supports Sweden's membership, but a center-right party indicated opposition. Turkish President Erdogan has linked ratification of Sweden's NATO membership to the US Congress' approval of Turkey's request to purchase fighter jets. Hungary has also stalled Sweden's bid, alleging lies about the condition of Hungary's democracy. NATO requires unanimous approval from all existing members to expand, and Turkey and Hungary are the only countries holding out.