The leader of Sweden’s Democrat Party (SD, far right and strongest force in the parliamentary majority) this Wednesday regarded Turkey’s president as an “Islamist dictator”, at a time of stalemate in negotiations over Sweden’s membership of NATO.
Jimmie Akesson and the SD are not in government, but they are the first force to support Prime Minister Ulf Kristensen in parliament.
The leader of Sweden’s far-right party also appealed to the government not to give in to Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s demands over Stockholm’s membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
‘We can’t go far. Because [Erdogan] runs an undemocratic system above all because he is a dictator with whom we are dealing,” Akesson said in an interview with the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter.
“I am party leader of the anti-Islamic SD party and I have strong opinions about an Islamist dictator like Erdogan. He is elected by the people, yes. But so is Putin,” said the Swedish far-right leader.
Akesson’s comments come at a time when the Swedish-Turkish negotiations over Sweden’s membership of NATO appear to be at an impasse.
Earlier this month, Kristersson said Ankara was making demands that Stockholm could not meet.
Turkey is “not in a position” to ratify Sweden’s entry into NATO as long as the situation remains as it is, Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan’s closest adviser, said after a new diplomatic incident.
Last week, a pro-Kurdish group hung a doll symbolizing Erdogan from his legs in front of Stockholm City Hall, accusing the Turkish president of being a “dictator”.
The Turkish and Swedish governments strongly condemned the operation, sparking a debate in Sweden about the need not to sacrifice freedom of expression and demonstration.
Since May, Turkey has blocked Sweden – as well as Finland – joining NATO, accusing Stockholm of harboring members of the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) and related organizations on Swedish soil, which Ankara considers “terrorists”.
Despite the fact that Turkey and Sweden signed a memorandum of understanding in June, Ankara believes its demands are still far from being met, particularly regarding the extradition of Turkish citizens whom Turkey wants to try for “terrorism”.
The Swedish government believes that the Swedish legal system has the final say in these matters and emphasizes that the courts are independent.
Source: DN
