Türkiye lashes out at Sweden over ‘terror propaganda’

ANKARA

The PKK not only targets Türkiye with its recent demonstrations in Stockholm, where the supporters of the group hung a puppet from its legs that depicted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, but also aims to block Sweden’s NATO membership process, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Jan. 13.

“Their target is not only the president, but the main target of the terrorist organization is Türkiye,” Çavuşoğlu told TRT Haber broadcaster.

“The second goal is to prevent Sweden from joining NATO. It continues provocations to prevent Sweden’s NATO membership,” the minister added.

Çavuşoğlu said the new government of Sweden is more positive in its statements and in its steps to meet Türkiye’s demand in the fight against the PKK.

“They are a little more determined than the old government on this issue, but it is not enough to show determination in words, we need to see it in action. They must fulfill their obligations,” the minister stated.

“PKK/YPG is laying mines in Sweden’s way to NATO membership. Clearing these mines and stepping on them deliberately are Sweden’s choices,” he added.

The supporters of the PKK gathered in front of the historical City Hall in the capital Stockholm on Jan. 11 and hung a puppet likened to Erdoğan by the feet and shared video footage of the moment on social media affiliated with the group.

Sweden and Finland abandoned their long-standing policies of military nonalignment and applied for membership in the military alliance after Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

NATO-member Türkiye hasn’t yet endorsed their accession, which requires unanimous approval from all existing alliance members.

The Foreign Ministry on Jan. 12 summoned Sweden’s ambassador in Ankara to lodge a protest over the demonstration in Stockholm.

The ministry expressed Ankara’s frustration about the terrorist propaganda, which targeted Erdoğan and Türkiye, diplomatic sources said.

Sources said the ambassador was informed that Türkiye strongly condemns and protests the “heinous act.”

Turkish officials also said the act was contrary to an agreement that Türkiye has reached with Sweden and Finland under which the two promised to crack down on terrorists as they seek Turkish approval for their NATO membership bids.

Ankara conveyed its expectation that the perpetrators of the incident will be identified, necessary actions will be taken, and Sweden will fulfill its commitments.

Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident after President Erdoğan filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors in the capital Ankara over the provocation.

“A criminal complaint has been filed with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, demanding that an investigation be launched into the perpetrators due to the criminal acts targeting our President,” Erdoğan’s lawyer Hüseyin Aydın tweeted.

Meanwhile, Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop canceled his Swedish counterpart Andreas Norlen’s visit to Türkiye in response to the incident in Stockholm.

“Swedish Parliament Speaker Norlen’s official visit to Türkiye on Jan. 17 was cancelled by Speaker of Parliament Şentop upon the terrorist act by the terrorist organization PKK/YPG targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Türkiye in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden,” the parliament said in a statement.

Sweden’s prime minister on Jan. 13 condemned the incident. The staging of a “type of mock execution of a foreign democratically-elected leader” was “extremely serious,” Ulf Kristersson told broadcaster TV4. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström also condemned the act.

“The government is committed to an open debate on political choices but strongly rejects threats and hatred against political representatives. Portraying an elected president as executed outside City Hall is abhorrent,” Billström wrote on Twitter.

Fahrettin Altun, the communications director for Erdoğan’s office, responded to Billström’s tweet by condemning the incident and urging Swedish authorities “to take necessary steps against terrorist groups” without delay.

“That PKK terrorists can challenge the Swedish government at the heart of Stockholm is proof that the Swedish authorities have not taken necessary steps against terrorism – as they have been claiming in recent days,” Altun tweeted in English.