Ankara’s notable statement: not at a satisfactory level

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz spoke to the British newspaper Financial Times… Making a statement about Sweden’s membership in NATO, Yılmaz said: “Sweden should take stricter measures in the fight against terrorism to receive support from Ankara to membership in NATO.

Yılmaz said: “We see that the implementation of the agreement reached last year is not at a satisfactory level.” President Erdoğan reached a compromise at the NATO Summit in July this year and gave the green light for Sweden’s accession.

Sweden, which has received approval from all countries except Turkey and Hungary for NATO membership, is only waiting for approval from these two countries. Türkiye had requested cooperation from Sweden in the fight against terrorism.

“THE ASSEMBLY WILL BE UNDER GREAT PRESSURE”

Speaking to the Financial Times in Ankara, Yılmaz said: “Our Parliament is very sensitive to these issues because there is public opinion in Turkey. “If we don’t see enough progress, parliament will come under enormous pressure,” he said. While the newspaper introduced Yılmaz as “an experienced AKP politician and former MP”, Yılmaz said: “Really strong measures must be taken against terrorist organizations and people who openly work against Turkey.”

Although Sweden announced that it fulfilled the agreement with Turkey and implemented the new anti-terrorism law, the recent permission for terrorist groups to carry out actions in Sweden caused tensions between Ankara and Stockholm. The Financial Times newspaper also noted that experts explained that Sweden’s membership in NATO has a relationship with the F-16 fighter jets, worth billions of dollars, that Turkey will buy from the US.