Turkey “is not in position” to ratify Sweden's NATO membership law

He has said ratification depends on Stockholm's speed of fulfilling anti-terrorism promises, which are involved in the agreement signed with Ankara.

“Stockholm is fully dedicated to implementing the agreement signed last year in Madrid, but the state needs another six months to sign new laws that would allow the judicial system to implement new definitions of terrorism”, Kalin has said at a media conference in Istanbul.

“We are not in position to submit the ratification law to parliament”.

Along with Finland, Sweden has signed an agreement with Turkey last year, with the goal of exceeding Ankara's objections to the two countries' NATO membership.

Both states have applied for membership in the north-Atlantic alliance, following Russia's start of war in Ukraine.

Ankara has said Sweden should have a clear stand against those it considers terrorists, primarily Kurdish militants, and an organisation that blames it for failed put-up attempts on the stamp in 2016.

Kalin has said that the Swedish government should send a clear message “to terrorist organisations that Sweden is no longer a safe haven for them, and that they will not be able to earn money, recruit members and engage in other” activities.

“We are related to deadlines if they want to join NATO before the NATO summit in June”, has added Kalin, referring to the parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkey, expected to be held in May.

“Taking into account that parliament will go on vacation before the elections, we have only 2,2.5 months to complete everything”, he said.

The war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin calls the war “special military operation” to demilitarise Ukraine.

The West has responded to Russia, striking the economy of this state with severe sanctions.

As a result of the war, thousands have died, and millions of others have been displaced from their homes. / REL/