The Swedish government intends to decide on the criminalization of belonging to a terrorist organization on the same day that the tripartite negotiations between Finland, Sweden and Turkey continue in Brussels.
The Swedish government wants to give the president of Turkey To Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “victory” in order to advance the country’s NATO membership ratification, newspaper Dagens Nyheter (you switch to another service) tells. That is why it is urgently reforming terrorism legislation and wants to add a new crime to it: participation in a terrorist organization.
However, legal experts reject the bill. Swedish Law Council and Bar Association (you will switch to another service) question whether it meets the clarity required by criminal law. The Legislative Council is of the opinion that the proposal should not be used as a basis for legislation.
Despite the criticism, the Swedish government intends to decide on the criminalization of belonging to a terrorist organization on Thursday of next week – the same day when the tripartite negotiations between Finland, Sweden and Turkey are to continue in Brussels.
– It is clear that a law is needed. For far too long, Sweden has had lax legislation regarding the possibility of participating in terrorist activities, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson comment (you will switch to another service) yesterday wednesday.
According to Dagens Nyheter, the government has accelerated the processing of its bill. It is scheduled to enter into force on June 1, before the NATO summit in Vilnius.
Throughout the NATO process, the Turkish president has complained that Sweden is a “terrorist free city” and demanded the criminalization of belonging to a terrorist organization, so that it could accept Sweden’s NATO membership.
Emeritus Professor of Turkish Studies Jenny White The University of Tukhoma tells Dagens Nyher that it is difficult to “give victory” to Turkey, because the countries’ perceptions of victory are different.
– In Sweden, it means concrete things, such as terrorism legislation. But for Erdoğan, the victory is getting international leaders to bow to him, White says.
He estimates that Turkey can always come up with more demands for the acceptance of Sweden’s NATO membership.
– The most important thing for Erdoğan is the election result. As long as something helps him win elections, he will continue to do it.