Sweden NATO Bid Could Be Jeopardized by Islamophobic Remarks: Former Envoy
The warning was issued by a former Swedish diplomat on Sunday, after Jimmie Akesson, leader of the country’s far-right Sweden Democrats, on Saturday proposed a ban on the construction of new mosques and suggested the destruction of existing ones.
Migrants to Sweden should not have the right to build new mosques, he said, suggesting an apparent violation of freedom of religion in the country’s Constitution.
Following the remarks, the Turkish press reported his remarks could undermine Sweden's accession to NATO, said Swedish public broadcaster SVT on Saturday.
Speaking to SVT, Michael Sahlin, Sweden's former ambassador to Turkey, warned that Akesson's remarks could put up more hurdles to Sweden's NATO membership bid.
"Turkey already knew that Sweden Democrats said problematic things in the past, but its leader talking about demolishing mosques is very extreme and unfortunate. Akesson's remarks brought a different burden to Sweden's membership to NATO," Sahlin told SVT.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, for his part, told the Swedish news agency TT: "In Sweden, we do not demolish places of worship."
The Sweden Democrats, a party with Nazi roots, became the second-biggest party in parliament in last year’s general elections.
Read More:
On Nov. 16, the Turkish parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee postponed consideration of a measure approving Sweden's NATO accession.
To join the alliance, which Sweden sought after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Stockholm has to have the approval of all current NATO members, including Turkey, a NATO member for over 70 years.
Turkey has been expecting concrete steps from Swedish authorities to alleviate Ankara's security concerns regarding support to the PKK.
Source: Anadolu Agency
