On Tuesday, the Turkish parliament voted through the Swedish application to the defense alliance. Two days later, the country’s president has signed the decision, which means that the country has now in principle fully approved Sweden’s NATO application.
The ratification document must then be sent to the US State Department, and after that Turkey is completely ready, according to TT.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson comments on the announcement on X:
“We welcome Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO application. We have now reached a decisive milestone on the road to full membership in NATO.”
Turkey connoisseur: Not such a strange statement
According to Turkish law, Erdogan had two weeks to sign the application. However, there was concern that it would possibly take longer – especially after many trips in the long process.
But according to Turkey expert Paul Levin, the announcement is not particularly surprising.
– It would be very strange if Erdogan did not sign the law he himself presented to parliament, he says in SVT Nyheter’s live broadcast.
Hungary remains to ratify
The only country that has not yet approved Sweden as a NATO member is Hungary. Their parliament does not open until the end of February and there is no set date for a possible vote on the application there. The opposition, on the other hand, has demanded that the parliament be called by lightning before that. But whether or not such a meeting will take place is uncertain. During Thursday, the country’s president said that they “have no particular urgency”.
The country’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has this week invited Ulf Kristersson for “negotiations”. Kristersson has in turn replied that they can meet in Brussels.