The news about Sweden’s decision not to extradite the exiled journalist Bülent Kenes received a lot of attention in the Turkish national media on Monday. According to what has been reported so far, the tone is harsh and words like “scandal” recur in the news.
– It is described as Sweden not living up to the promises that Turkey believes it has given Turkey in connection with the NATO application. That is what is being insinuated anyway, says SVT’s Turkey correspondent Tomas Thorén.
“Follows the pattern”
According to Tomas Thorén, the reporting is in line with how the issue has previously been treated in the Turkish media, which are very loyal to President Erdogan. This despite the fact that the demand for extradition has been seen as unreasonable from the start.
– The reporting was very much expected. It follows the pattern of how Turkish media always react to news concerning the Swedish and Turkish relationship in relation to the Swedish NATO application. There is a kind of disappointment between the lines that we are not releasing and stopping this release, he says.
“Decisive for the future”
The issue is particularly charged in Turkey as Bülent Kenes was mentioned by President Erdogan himself at the press conference organized jointly with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) in connection with his visit to Ankara earlier in November.
– The question now is whether Erdogan and government representatives will pick this up and use it against Sweden. It is crucial for the future, says Tomas Thorén.