Fourteen months of waiting and negotiations ended with a handshake: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave the green light on Monday July 10 to Sweden’s entry into NATO. A decision that looks like a turnaround, immediately welcomed in Washington, Paris and Berlin. But if the green light from President Erdogan is decisive, it is the ratification of the Turkish Parliament which is essential to allow Swedish membership. “As soon as possible,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. This one will not intervene finally… not before October at best.
The program of the Turkish Parliament ends for the time being on July 18, according to the official calendar, and should not resume its session until September. “There is a two-month parliamentary recess (and) there are many international agreements to examine, many legislative proposals which must be discussed in order of importance”, underlined the Turkish head of state, re-elected end of May for five years, answering a journalist’s question on the possibility of ratification in October.
“But we intend to get it over with as soon as possible,” he said on the sidelines of the Atlantic Alliance summit in Vilnius. “When Parliament opens its session, I think its President will agree to give priority to this agreement over other international agreements,” he continued.
Hungary, the other country among the 31 members of the Alliance still to have to ratify Sweden’s entry, has indicated that it will not delay any further. Its ratification “is now just a technical question”, said Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
The Swedish executive, however, retains a certain caution, in a file where the reversals have been numerous. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson hailed a “good day” but refrained from triumphant celebrations. Once the Turkish and Hungarian ratifications have been acquired, the Swedish entry ceremony can follow immediately.