Explanation of the Swedish Koran: It damages our image

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said the act of burning the Holy Quran in Sweden could turn his country’s good image into a bad one.

Billström made a statement to the Syndsvenskan newspaper about the reactions to the provocation of burning the Koran in Sweden. Billström said: “The burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden could turn the good image of our country into a bad one.”

Noting that Sweden is struggling to save its reputation, Billström said: “Sweden’s good image will get worse in the long run if it continues to be portrayed as Islamophobic. It seems difficult to predict what kind of consequences this will have on the approval process for Sweden’s NATO membership. However, it is important that the government also defends freedom of expression.

The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the burning of the Holy Quran in front of a mosque on June 28, the first day of Eid al-Adha in Stockholm, in a statement it released yesterday. “The Swedish government understands that Islamophobic actions by individuals at demonstrations in the country may be offensive to Muslims. We strongly condemn these actions, which in no way reflect the views of the Swedish government.

The statement, which described the burning of the Koran and other holy books as a “clear provocation”, shared the view that “racism, xenophobia and related intolerance have no place in Sweden or Europe.”

In Stockholm, the Swedish capital, Salwan Momika, of Iraqi origin, burned the Koran under police protection in front of the Stockholm Mosque on June 28. Many states, including the US and Russia, as well as Islamic countries, especially Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Afghanistan, reacted to the event.

The Swedish government also launched an investigation into the incident. Following the reactions, the Swedish police announced that they had filed a complaint against Momika, who carried out the act of burning the Koran, for the crime of “provoking the people”. (AA)