Sweden – NATO
Sweden’s road to NATO membership has been paved with Koran burnings and harsh statements. At the national convention of the Sweden Democrats at the weekend came another. The anti-immigration party now wants to stop the construction of new mosques. At the same time, party leader Jimmie Åkesson wants to demolish existing Muslim symbols and monuments. This applies to domes, minarets and entire mosque buildings. The announcement comes as relations with Turkey remain tense. Despite massive pressure from the other 30 NATO countries, Turkey’s parliament has still not voted yes to Swedish membership.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was cautious about directly commenting on the announcement from the Sweden Democrats but said: “I don’t want to get into national discussions, but I do believe in religious freedom. I believe in freedom of speech. These are fundamental rights that must be protected in the alliance.” Stoltenberg said. NATO is built on democratic values, and countries are judged on their democracy upon accession. However, Sweden is considered a stable democracy ready to join NATO. The message from the Sweden Democrats does not change that. Conversely, however, it is unlikely to make the process in Turkey any easier. /ritzau/