Turkey's Foreign Ministry Questions Sweden's NATO Membership Viability

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has questioned the appropriateness of Sweden's accession to NATO, as reported by Daily Sabah on Tuesday.

“Now, more than ever, it is relevant to discuss whether Sweden's membership in NATO will be a burden or an advantage from a strategic security perspective,” he stated in Ankara.

According to him, the Swedish security system is unable to prevent provocations, and this could create problems for the entire alliance.

Fidan reiterated that Turkey strongly condemns the “disgraceful attack on the Quran” in Stockholm, as well as the authorities' tolerance despite warnings from Ankara.

Last week, it was reported that the Swedish police allowed the burning of the Quran near a mosque in central Stockholm, citing “freedom of speech” as the reason for their decision.

Turkey is one of the two countries that have yet to ratify Sweden’s membership in NATO. Ankara’s grievances against Stockholm have primarily revolved around anti-Islam actions in Sweden.