Tension between Turkey and Sweden: Protest over ‘insolent expressions’ against Erdogan on TV show

Sweden’s ambassador to Turkey was summoned today to the Turkish Foreign Ministry after the broadcast by Swedish public television of a program described as “offensive” by the Anchorthe official Turkish news agency Anadolu reported.

“Sweden’s ambassador to Ankara, Staffan Herström, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today due to the broadcast on the state-run Swedish television (SVT) of a program with offensive content, with statements and images offensive to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkey,” reported the Anatolia.

The ambassador was told that “rude and ugly expressions and images about Erdogan and Turkey were unacceptable,” according to Anadolu.

Relations between Ankara and Stockholm are strained, as Turkey has threatened since mid-May to block the northern country’s NATO membership.

The Turkish president warned again on Saturday that he may block Sweden — and Finland — from joining the Atlantic alliance “as long as the promises” made by the two countries are not “kept”.

Erdogan blames her Sweden and Finland for harboring Kurdish fighters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG), considered terrorist organizations by Ankara.

A Swedish delegation was due to travel to Turkey this week to continue negotiations, following a tripartite meeting in late August in Finland.

One of the most sensitive points concerns dozens of requests for extradition to Ankara of dissidents, mainly Kurdish fighters and members of the Gülen movement.

To date, 28 member states — out of thirty — of the Atlantic Alliance have ratified the accession of Sweden and Finland.

Only Hungary and Turkey remain to give their final agreement.

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