It was six months ago when PKK terrorist group supporters gathered in front of the municipal building in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, and organized a demonstration. They hung a puppet representing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan by its feet from one of the poles in front of the building and shared it on social media. This was an apparent provocation and was allowed to occur in front of the municipal building.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström condemned the incident, but they did not prevent its recurrence. Indeed, PKK supporters can still engage in provocations whenever they want, with their flags and aggressive slogans.
It was also six months ago when Rasmus Paludan, an extremist of the right-wing Danish Hard Line party, first displayed a caricature insulting Prophet Muhammad and then burned a copy of the holy Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, amid Swedish security forces’ inertia.
Just six months later, we witness the recurrence of similar provocations. Sweden continues to periodically grab our attention with attacks targeting Türkiye and Islam. During Qurban Bayram, also known as Eid al-Adha, a person identified as Salwan Momika of Iraqi origin burned a copy of the Quran under police protection in front of the Stockholm Mosque.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that Sweden, in accordance with the agreement signed at the NATO summit last year, refuses to extradite any terrorists requested by Türkiye.
Do you still believe that Sweden genuinely desires to join NATO?
Even during the Cold War era, when the Soviet Union was at its strongest, Sweden preferred not to become a member of NATO. Today, it is difficult to believe that they see Russia, which seems far from achieving victory in its ongoing war with Ukraine, as a threat.
With the acceptance of Finland as a NATO member last April, with Türkiye's approval, Sweden stands as the only state in the Scandinavian region that has not joined the transatlantic alliance.
In my opinion, the Stockholm administration perceives the membership negotiations with Ankara as a confidential matter that both parties are aware of but choose not to openly discuss its outcome.
But it seems to me that a hidden reason emerges beneath the face: I believe Sweden's real concern appears to be managing its exit strategy without provoking the United States, which aims to expand the alliance's reach beyond Sweden's borders.
