The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee will discuss the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid as part of its regular agenda, as the matter is not as pressing for Ankara as it
is for some other nations, according to the committee's chair.
President Tayyip Erdogan presented the ratification bill for Sweden's NATO membership bid to the parliament last month, a move that was welcomed by Stockholm as it would pave the way for the country to join the Western defense alliance.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has expressed his desire for a "swift vote" in the Turkish parliament, indicating that the process is progressing positively. However, Fuat Oktay, the chair of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, mentioned that Turkey is in no rush.
Oktay stated, "Sweden's NATO membership is just one of the international agreements on our agenda awaiting ratification. We will address it when the time is right, within the framework of our own priorities. What is pressing for others may not be urgent for us."
The bill for Sweden's NATO membership must gain approval from the committee before proceeding to a full parliamentary vote, after which President Erdogan would sign it into law.
Sweden and Finland, which had long maintained neutrality, applied for NATO membership last year to enhance their security following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland's membership was officially confirmed in April, while Sweden's bid faced delays due to Turkey and Hungary's reservations.
Turkey asserted that Sweden should first take actions against supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and individuals associated with a network Ankara holds responsible for a 2016 coup attempt. Turkey classifies both groups as terrorist organizations.
Sweden passed a new anti-terrorism law in July to address these concerns.
Sweden's bid has remained stuck in Hungary's parliament since last year, with the ruling nationalist party contending that there is no threat to Sweden's security. They also cited what they consider to be unfounded allegations from Sweden regarding Hungary's erosion of democracy. Photo by Patrickneil, Wikimedia commons.