Hungary hinted today that it might ratify it Sweden’s accession to NATO in the fall, as a member of parliament of the ruling party said that her decision Turkey to support Stockholm’s request paved the way for strengthening the North Atlantic Treaty.

MP Zolt Nemet commented that there is no reason to call the parliament in an emergency to give its approval, since the ratification by Turkey will take place later.

THE Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has delayed ratification, but the foreign minister assured earlier this month that Budapest would not stand in the way of the process if Turkey lifted its objections, which it did on Monday.

Speaking on the private radio station InfoRadio Nemeth, who heads the parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said the matter would be considered in mid-September. There is no need to convene the Hungarian parliament earlier since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will not push the accession protocol to the Turkish National Assembly before the fall, he explained.

Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine, abandoning a decades-long policy of neutrality. Ankara approved the accession of Finland, but not Sweden, which it accused of giving asylum to people Turkey considers terrorists, mainly members of Kurdistan Workers’ Party.

Hungary’s parliament approved Finland’s accession at the end of March.