After Turkey’s ratification, Sweden still has to worry Hungary.
Sweden’s NATO membership was finally approved last night in the Turkish parliament with clear votes.
287 members of parliament voted for, 55 against. There were a few empty votes and more than 250 members of parliament were absent. A large part of the opposition also voted for Sweden’s membership.
In the parliamentary debate, the smaller opposition parties on the right criticized the president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan administration for not making enough concessions in the fight against terrorism. NATO was criticized on the left.
Representatives of Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party thanked the president. According to them, Sweden could be accepted because it has acted against terrorism in accordance with the promises made to Turkey.
According to this interpretation, Sweden has, among other things, intervened in the financing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the PKK.
A big relief for Sweden
The Turkish Parliament’s decision is a relief for Sweden.
President Erdoğan’s tough demands, among other things, for the extradition of persons Turkey considers to be terrorists, have tested nerves in Sweden.
In the end, it seems that the solution was found across the Atlantic.
Turkey has ordered US F-16 fighters. Since the Erdoğan administration decided to go ahead with Sweden’s ratification, it is likely to have received some kind of promise that the arms trade will proceed. However, it will only become clear after some time.
Next, Erdoğan’s confirmation of the parliament’s decision is still needed.
Orbán’s game continues
But there is still a long way to go. The show was already stolen yesterday by the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán.
Hungary has delayed ratification without presenting very precise demands. At the same time, Hungary has said that it will not be the last country to ratify Sweden’s membership.
Now, however, Orbán wants to negotiate. to the Prime Minister of Sweden For Ulf Kristersson in the letter he sent, he presents discussions on the development of relations between the countries.
With his evening milking, Orbán may be hoping to get concessions from the EU, where criticism of Hungary is rising. The old disputes are related to democracy and the development of the rule of law, the new ones are related to supporting Ukraine.
If Hungary delays for a long time, the suspicions that the Russian president is looming behind Orbán will be confirmed Vladimir Putin. Prime Minister Orbán has kept in touch with Putin despite Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Doubts about taking marching orders from Moscow could lead to strong reactions in the EU and NATO.