Swedes reject legal concessions to win Turkey’s NATO assent: Poll
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A recent poll shows most Swedes believe their country should continue to abide by its laws in the face of Turkish demands even if it means delaying its membership in NATO.
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Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, right, and Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom hold a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022 (AP Photo/Ali Unal)
Swedish voters support their government in saying the Nordic country should not compromise on its legal principles to win Ankara’s ratification for its NATO application, according to a poll conducted by Ipsos via online surveys.
The poll involved 1,248 participants and was commissioned by the newspaper Dagens Nyheter and published late on Monday.
79 percent of respondents said Sweden should continue to abide by its laws in the face of Turkish demands even if it means delaying its membership in NATO, while only 10 percent believed the country should seek to join asap regardless of whether that involves concessions on its legal principles.
The poll showed a 60 percent approval for Sweden’s NATO application, an all-time high.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan objected to Sweden and Finland joining NATO since they put in bids in May, labeling the two Nordic countries "guesthouses for terrorist organizations."
Last month, Sweden's Supreme Court ruled against the extradition of an exiled Turkish journalist on Monday, going against one of Ankara's key demands for Stockholm's NATO membership accession.
The court stated there were "several hindrances" to returning former ZAMAN daily editor-in-chief Bulent Kenes, whom Turkey accused of being engaged in the 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
It is worth noting that both Nordic governments have stressed they will increase their "counter-terrorism efforts" while underscoring the independence of courts in deciding on extraditions.
Out of the 30 NATO countries, 28 have ratified their entry into the bloc, while Hungary is still postponing.
