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NATO

Swedish MPs to vote next week on beefing up anti-terror laws

Sweden's parliament said Tuesday it would vote next week on a constitutional amendment that would make it possible to beef up anti-terror laws, a key demand from Turkey to approve Stockholm's Nato membership bid.

Published: 8 November 2022 22:03 CET
Swedish MPs to vote next week on beefing up anti-terror laws
Sweden's parliament, the Riksdag. Photo: Tim Aro/TT

The proposed amendment would make it possible to introduce new laws to “limit freedom of association of groups involved in terrorism”, parliament said in a statement.

Parliament’s announcement of the upcoming vote followed Tuesday’s visit to Ankara by Sweden’s new Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, where he met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, Sweden and Finland abandoned their long-held policy of non-alignment and applied to join the military alliance.

But Turkey has blocked Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership applications, accusing Stockholm in particular of being a haven for “terrorists”.

The vote is scheduled for November 16 and the change is expected to enter into force on January 1, according to parliament’s standing committee on constitutional affairs, which recommended MPs approve the proposal.

Experts have said new legislation would make it easier to prosecute members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), blacklisted by Ankara and most of its Western allies.

In Sweden, a constitutional amendment must be approved by two separate parliaments, with a general election held in between. The first vote was approved under Sweden’s previous left-wing government. Kristersson — who won Sweden’s September 11 general election — described the constitutional amendment as a “big step”.

“Sweden will take big steps by the end of the year and early next year that will give Swedish legal authorities more muscles to fight terrorism”, he said. Only the formerly communist Left Party has expressed opposition to the change.

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NATO

Sweden strikes deal with Turkey over Nato membership

Sweden has finally won the backing of Turkey's President Erdogan for its Nato membership, with a deal struck on the eve of the alliance's Vilnius summit opening the way for Turkish ratification "as soon as possible".

Published: 10 July 2023 21:40 CEST
Sweden strikes deal with Turkey over Nato membership

“President Erdogan has agreed to forward the Accession Protocol for Sweden to the Grand National Assembly as soon as possible and work closely with the assembly to ensure ratification,” Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said after the deal was struck. “This is a historic step which makes all Nato allies stronger and safer.” 

At the press conference, Sweden’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson, said it had been “a long day in a long journey towards Swedish membership”. 

“I am extremely happy,” he said. “This is a good day for Sweden”. 

In a separate joint statement, Sweden repeated its commitments to help Turkey in its “fight against terrorism” making an addition pledge to support Turkey’s in its long-stalled efforts to join the EU. 

“Sweden will actively support efforts to reinvigorate Turkiye’s EU accession process, including modernisation of the EU-Turkiye Customs Union and
visa liberalisation,” the statement said.

In return, Turkey said it “will transmit the Accession Protocol for Sweden to the Grand National Assembly, and work closely with the Assembly to ensure ratification.”

Turkey has been holding up Sweden’s application to join the Atlantic alliance, accusing Stockholm of harbouring Kurdish activists Ankara regards as
terrorists.

And on Monday, Erdogan upped the stakes further, demanding that the European Union revive Turkey’s stalled EU membership bid as a precondition for Sweden joining Nato.

Shortly before the deal was announced Erdogan interrupted his talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to hold talks with Charles Michel, the President of the EU Council. 

Michel hailed a “good meeting”, adding that they had “explored opportunities ahead to bring EU-Turkey cooperation back to the forefront and re-energise our relations”.

Turkey has been a formal candidate to join the European Union since 2005, and an aspirant since long before that, but talks have long been stalled with little sign of life.

US President Joe Biden welcomed the agreement. 

“I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Turkey on enhancing defence and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area,” he said in a statement, adding: “I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO ally.”

“The path for Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s membership of Nato is finally clear,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on Twitter, hailing the “good news from Vilnius”.

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